Many electrical products use IP Ratings to protect against different environment object such as water and dust. There is a different type of IP Ratings available to protect against the different object. Moreover, we can separate these different object in solids and liquids. Finally, we are discuss the use of IP Ratings in our product like smartphones, smartwatch and headphones.
What is an IP Rating? Or called it Ingress Protection.
The IP rating or IP code classifies the degree of security provided by the insertion. Which is for electrical devices with rated voltage not exceeding 72.5 kV. Additionally, IP Ratings is established by the international standard EN 60529 (British Standard BS EN 60529:1992).
Moreover, this standard defines the level of sealing effectiveness against “penetration or ingress” i.e. infiltration of foreign bodies such as tools, dirt and liquid water. To get more information about this IP code ratings. First you need to understand the value of the two digit in name IP Ratings.
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What do the two digits in an IP Rating mean?
The rating consists of IP characters followed by two digits, the higher the number the better the protection. Sometimes the number is replaced by X, indicating that the enclosure is not rated for that specification.
Speaking of digits, the first digit suggested the level of safety provided by enclosures against the entry of solid foreign objects, instruments or fingers. Which may be dangerous if they come in contact with electrical conductors or moving parts, airborne dirt and dust which may damage the circuitry.
The second digit suggest the protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against various forms of moisture (drips, sprays, submersion etc).
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Following is the reference chart of this digit to understand IP Ratings better.
| First Digit | Intrusion Protection | Second Digit | Moisture Protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | No protection. | 0 | No Secured . |
| 1 | Secured against solid objects over 50mm, e.g. accidental touch by hands. | 1 | Secured against vertically falling drops of water, e.g. condensation. |
| 2 | Secured against solid objects over 12mm, e.g. fingers. | 2 | Secured against direct sprays of water up to 15 degrees from the vertical. |
| 3 | Secured against solid objects over 2.5mm, e.g. tools & wires. | 3 | Secured against direct sprays of water up to 60 degrees from the vertical. |
| 4 | Secured against solid objects over 1mm, e.g. wires & nails. | 4 | Secured against water splashed from all directions, limited ingress permitted. |
| 5 | Secured against dust limited ingress, no harmful deposits. | 5 | Secured against low pressure jets of water from all directions, limited ingress permitted. |
| 6 | Totally Secured against dust. | 6 | Secured against strong jets of water, e.g. on ships deck, limited ingress permitted. |
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Following is the IP rating reference chart to understand everything about it.
IP00-IP10
| IP Rating | First Digit – SOLIDS | Second Digit – LIQUIDS |
| IP00 | Not Secured from solids. | Not Secured from liquids. |
| IP01 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP02 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP03 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP04 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP05 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP06 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP07 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP08 | Not Secured from solids. | Secured from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP10 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Not Secured from liquids. |
IP11-IP20
| IP11 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP12 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP13 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP14 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP15 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP16 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP17 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP18 | Secured from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Secured from long trem immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP20 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Not Secured from liquids. |
IP21-IP30
| IP21 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP22 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP23 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP24 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP25 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP26 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP27 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP28 | Secured from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Secured from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP30 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Not Secured from liquids. |
IP31-IP40
| IP31 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP32 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP33 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP34 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP35 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP36 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP37 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP38 | Secured from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Secured from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP40 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Not Secured from liquids. |
IP41-IP50
| IP41 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP42 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP43 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP44 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP45 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from low pressure water jets in any direction. |
| IP46 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP47 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP48 | Secured from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Secured from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP50 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Not Secured from liquids. |
IP51-IP60
| IP51 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP52 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP53 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP54 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP55 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP56 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP57 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP58 | Secured from limited dust ingress. | Secured from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP60 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Not Secured from liquids. |
IP61-IP69K
| IP61 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from condensation. |
| IP62 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP63 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP64 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from water spray from any direction. |
| IP65 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP66 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP67 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 metre in depth. |
| IP68 | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP69K | Secured from total dust ingress. | Secured from steam-jet cleaning. |
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