Ingress Protection (IP) and what it means

Ingress Protection (IP) and what it means

 

The IP Code (or International Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as Ingress Protection Rating*) consists of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter. As defined in international standard IEC 60529, it classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures. The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof.

The digits (characteristic numerals) indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the tables below. For example, an electrical socket rated IP22 is protected against insertion of fingers and will not be damaged or become unsafe during a specified test in which it is exposed to vertically or nearly vertically dripping water. IP22 or 2X are typical minimum requirements for the design of electrical accessories for indoor use.

IP Rating Reference Chart

Below is easy to follow reference chart to help you decide which IP rating you need or have.

IP Number First Digit – SOLIDS Second Digit – LIQUIDS
IP00 Not protected from solids. Not protected from liquids.
IP01 Not protected from solids. Protected from condensation.
IP02 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP03 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP04 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP05 Not protected from solids. Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP06 Not protected from solids. Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP07 Not protected from solids. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP08 Not protected from solids. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP10 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Not protected from liquids.
IP11 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from condensation.
IP12 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP13 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP14 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP15 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP16 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP17 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP18 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP20 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Not protected from liquids.
IP21 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from condensation.
IP22 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP23 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP24 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP25 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP26 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP27 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP28 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP30 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Not protected from liquids.
IP31 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from condensation.
IP32 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP33 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP34 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP35 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP36 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP37 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP38 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP40 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Not protected from liquids.
IP41 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from condensation.
IP42 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP43 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP44 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP45 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP46 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP47 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP48 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP50 Protected from limited dust ingress. Not protected from liquids.
IP51 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from condensation.
IP52 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP53 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP54 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP55 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP56 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP57 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP58 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP60 Protected from total dust ingress. Not protected from liquids.
IP61 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from condensation.
IP62 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP63 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP64 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP65 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP66 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP67 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP68 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP69K Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from steam-jet cleaning.

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