Waterproof Ratings: What the IP Numbers Really Mean

So it’s waterproof. Great. What does that mean? Can it be out in the rain, spit on, sprayed by a hose, dragged through mud or dropped in the toilet? The IP Code will tell you what protection your electronics offer.

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

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. *Explanation of the letters IP is given in IEC 60529 (Ed. 2.1), clause 4.1.

• First Digit: Solids. The first digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign objects.
• Second Digit: Liquids. Protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against harmful ingress of water.

IP CODES

• 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.
• IP67 – Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
  • Check out our waterproof IP67-rated speaker microphones.
• IP68 – Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
  • Check out our IP68-rated, heavy-duty, fully submersible Public Safety Push-to-Talk Cable (PTT Only). The PRO-PTT can be custom made to be compatible with throat mics, bone conduction/temple transducer headsets and double muff headsets.
• IP69k – Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from steam jet cleaning

Contact us today to learn more our waterproof accessories or check out our products.

Category: LEARNING CENTRE, Ski Resort, WaterProof

Tags: ingress, IP, IP67, ip68, Waterproof