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IP ratings explained

DIN VDE 0470 PART 1 /EN 60529 / IEC 529

The IP mark, International Protection Mark (IEC 529), also known as Ingress Protection Mark, categorises the degree of protection provided by housings and enclosures against the intrusion by foreign bodies, including hands and fingers, dust, accidental contact, and water. The standard is controlled by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and consists of a simple to use numbering system which provides a consistant standard by which manufacturers can identify the protection provided. See the table below for a full description of each index number. 

Additional information:
OKW IP ratings datasheet (PDF)

FIRST DIGIT

IP first digit

From 0 to 6. This indicates the degree of protection of persons against contact with, or approach to, hazardous internal components, and protection of the equipment against ingress of solid foreign bodies and dust.

IP 0-

First Digit: 0
No protection

IP 1x

First Digit: 1
Protection against large foreign bodies
Protection of persons from accidental large area direct contact with active or internal moving parts (e.g. hand contact), nut no guarding against intentional access to such parts. Protection of the object from access of solid foreign matter larger than Ø50 mm.

IP 2x

First Digit: 2
 Protection against medium-size foreign bodies
Protection of persons from finger contact with active or internal moving parts. Protection of the object from access of solid foreign matter larger than Ø12 mm.

IP 3x

First Digit: 3
 Protection against small foreign bodies
Protection of persons from contact with active or internal moving parts with tools, wires or similar foreign matter thicker than Ø2.5 mm. Protection of the object from access of solid foreign matter larger than Ø2.5 mm.

IP 4x

First Digit: 4
Protection against granular foreign bodies
Protection of persons from contact with active or internal moving parts with tools, wires or similar foreign matter thicker than Ø1 mm.

IP 5x

First Digit: 5
Protection against deposits of dust
Total protection of persons from contact with voltage carrying or internal moving parts. Protection of the object from harmful deposits of dust. Ingress of dust is not completely prevented, but dust is prevented from entering in a quantity that would impair the functioning of the object.

IP 6x

First Digit: 6
Protection against ingress of dust
Total protection of persons from contact with voltage carrying or internal moving parts. Protection of the object from ingress of dust.

SECOND DIGIT

IP second digit

From 0 to 9K. This indicates the degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure from ingress of water.

IP -0

Second Digit: 0
No protection

IP -1

Second Digit: 1
Protection against water dripping vertically
Water drops falling vertically must not have any harmful effect.
Test duration: 10 minutes | Water equivalent to 1 mm rainfall per minute.

IP -2

Second Digit: 2
Protection against water dripping up to 15° 
Water drops falling at any angle up to 15° from vertical must not have any harmful effect.
Test duration: 10 minutes | Water equivalent to 3 mm rainfall per minute.

IP -3

Second Digit: 3 
Protection against spray water
Water hitting the object at any angle up to 60° from vertical must not have any harmful effect.
Test duration: 5 minutes | Water volume: 0.7 litres per minute | Pressure: 80–100 kPa.

IP -4

Second Digit: 4 
Protection against splash water
Water splashing against the object from all directions must not have any harmful effect.
Test duration: 5 minutes | Water volume: 10 litres per minute | Pressure: 80–100 kPa.

IP -5

Second Digit: 5  
Protection against jet water
A jet of water nozzeled against the object from all directions must not have any harmful effect. Test duration: at least 15 minutes | Water volume: 12.5 litres per minute | Pressure: 30 kPa at distance of 3 m.

IP -6

Second Digit: 6  
Protection against flooding
Water of temporary flooding, as in heavy seas, must not enter the object in any harmful quantity. Test duration: at least 3 minutes | Water volume: 100 litres per minute | Pressure: 100 kPa at distance of 3 m.

IP -6K

Second Digit: 6K
Protection against powerful water jets 
Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction, under elevated pressure, shall have no harmful effects. Test duration: at least 3 minutes | Water volume: 75 litres per minute | Pressure: 1000 kPa at distance of 3 m.

IP -8

Second Digit: 7 
Protection against dipped state
If the object is dipped into water (150 mm to 1,000 mm), under the defined conditions of pressure and time, water must not enter the object in any harmful quantity. Test duration: 30 minutes | Immersion at depth of at most 1 m measured at bottom of device, and at least 15 cm measured at top of device.

IP -8

Second Digit: 8 
Protection during submerged state
If the object is submerged in water under defined extreme conditions, water must not enter the object in any harmful quantity. Test duration: continuous immersion in water | Depth specified by manufacturer, generally up to 3 m.

IP -9K

Second Digit: 9K 
Protection from high pressure water/steam jet cleaning
Protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs.

okw sealed enclosures

OKW enclosures are available with protection classes of IP 54, IP 65, IP 66 and IP 67. The range includes sealed handheld, desktop, terminal and wall mounted enclosures. IP rating is either supplied as standard or as an option by fitting accessory sealing gaskets.

View our full range of sealed enclosures here >>