IP CODE
The IP Code, International Protection Marking, IEC standard 60529, sometimes interpreted as Ingress Protection Marking, classifies and rates the degree of protection provided against intrusion (body parts such as hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures. It is published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Solid particle protection
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.
|
Level |
Object size protected against |
Effective against |
|
0 |
— |
No protection against contact and ingress of objects |
|
1 |
>50 mm |
Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part |
|
2 |
>12.5 mm |
Fingers or similar objects |
|
3 |
>2.5 mm |
Tools, thick wires, etc. |
|
4 |
>1 mm |
Most wires, screws, etc. |
|
5 |
Dust protected |
Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment; complete protection against contact (dust proof) |
|
6 |
Dust tight |
No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust tight) |
Liquid ingress protection
The second digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against harmful ingress of water.
|
Level |
Protected against |
Testing for |
Details |
|
0 |
Not protected |
— |
— |
|
1 |
Dripping water |
Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect. |
Test duration: 10 minutes
Water equivalent to 1 mm rainfall per minute |
|
2 |
Dripping water when tilted up to 15° |
Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position. |
Test duration: 10 minutes
Water equivalent to 3 mm rainfall per minute |
|
3 |
Spraying water |
Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect. |
Test duration: 5 minutes
Water volume: 0.7 litres per minute Pressure: 80–100 kPa |
|
4 |
Splashing of water |
Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect. |
Test duration: 5 minutes
Water volume: 10 litres per minute Pressure: 80–100 kPa |
|
5 |
Water jets |
Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
Test duration: at least 3 minutes
Water volume: 12.5 litres per minute Pressure: 30 kPa at distance of 3 m |
|
6 |
Powerful water jets |
Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
Test duration: at least 3 minutes
Water volume: 100 litres per minute Pressure: 100 kPa at distance of 3 m |
|
6K |
Powerful water jets with increased pressure |
Water projected in powerful jets (6.3 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 |
|
7 |
Immersion up to 1 m |
Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion). |
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 |
|
8 |
Immersion beyond 1 m |
The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects. |
Test duration: continuous immersion in water
Depth specified by manufacturer, generally up to 3 m |
|
9k |
Powerful high temperature water jets |
Protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs. |
|
