What is an IP rating?
IP (or “Ingress Protection”) ratings are defined in international standard EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). They are used to define levels of sealing effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from foreign bodies (tools, dirt etc) and moisture.
What do the numbers in an IP Rating mean?
The numbers that follow IP each have a specific meaning. The first indicates the degree of protection (of people) from moving parts, as well as the protection of enclosed equipment from foreign bodies. The second defines the protection level that the enclosure enjoys from various forms of moisture (drips, sprays, submersion etc).
While we cover a huge range of electrical enclosures, our most common IP ratings are probably 65, 66, 67 and 68. So for quick reference, these are defined below:
IP65 Enclosure – IP rated as “dust tight” and protected against water projected from a nozzle.
IP66 Enclosure – IP rated as “dust tight” and protected against heavy seas or powerful jets of water.
IP 67 Enclosures – IP rated as “dust tight” and protected against immersion for 30 minutes at depths 150mm – 1000mm
IP 68 Enclosures – IP rated as “dust tight” and protected against complete, continuous submersion in water.
Talk with us about your particular requirements.
Tel: +9821-88535400