IP code
The IP Code ( Ingress Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as International Protection Rating) of the letters IP followed by two digits or one digit and one letter and an optional letter. As defined in international standard IEC 60529, IP Code classifies and rates the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water in mechanical casings and with electrical enclosures.
The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof. However, no edition of the standard is openly published for unlicensed readers.
The digits (characteristic numerals) indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the tables below. Where there is no protection rating with regard to one of the criteria, the digit is replaced with the letter X.
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.
| 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 1mm 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 3mm 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 |
| 4 | Splashing water | Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect. | Test duration: 5 minutes Water volume: 10 litres per minute |
| 5 | Water jets | Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. | Test duration: at least 3 minutes Water volume: 12.5 litres per minute |
| 6 | Powerful water jets | Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. | Test duration: at least 3 minutes Water volume: 100 litres per minute |
| 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 1m |
| 8 | Immersion beyond 1 m | The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. 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 |
