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The IP code or ingress protection code indicates how well a device is protected against water and dust. It is defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the international standard IEC 60529 which classifies and provides a guideline to the degree of protection provided by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures against intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water. It is published in the European Union by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) as EN 60529.

The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof. For example, a cellular phone rated at IP67 is "dust resistant" and can be "immersed in 1 meter of freshwater for up to 30 minutes". Similarly, an electrical socket rated IP22 is protected against insertion of fingers and will not become unsafe during a specified test in which it is exposed to vertically or nearly vertically dripping water. IP22 or IP2X are typical minimum requirements for the design of electrical accessories for indoor use.

The digits indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the tables below. The digit 0 is used where no protection is provided. The digit is replaced with the letter X when insufficient data has been gathered to assign a protection level. The device can become less capable, however it cannot become unsafe.

There are no hyphens in a standard IP code. IPX-8 (for example) is thus an invalid IP code.

Code breakdown

This table shows what each digit or part of the IP code represents.

Additional letter (optional)

For the protection of personnel against access to hazardous parts with:

l

IP69K and IPx9

DIN 40050-9 extended the newer IEC 60529 rating system with an IP69K rating for high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down applications. Enclosures conforming with ISO 20653:2013 must not only be dust-tight (IP6X), but also able to withstand high-pressure and steam cleaning.

The IP69K standard was originally developed for road vehicles—especially those that need regular intensive cleaning (dump trucks, concrete mixers, etc.)—but it also finds use in other areas, such as food processing machinery and car wash systems. It was superseded by ISO 20653:2013 Road Vehicles-Degrees of protection (IP code), and complemented by the addition of a level 9 water ingress testing to IEC 60529, which includes essentially the same spray test as IP69K, but also includes, in Figure 10 of the standard, a drawing for a test fixture designed to verify the correct water pressure.

Test setup

The test specifies a spray nozzle that is fed with 80 °C (176 °F) water at 8–10 MPa (80–100 bar; 1,200–1,500 psi) and a flow rate of 14–16 litres per minute (3.7–4.2 US gal/min). The nozzle is held 10–15 cm from the tested device at angles of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° for 30 seconds each. The test device sits on a turntable that completes a rotation once every 12 seconds (5 rpm). The IPx9 specification details a freehand method for testing larger specimens that will not fit on a turntable (see table above). The free hand method also requires (at least) one additional minute of spray time (1 min/m, 3 min. minimum). The test distance also increases to .175 m (0.15–0.2 m per section 14.2.9).

United States (NEMA rating)

In the U.S., the National Electrical Manufacturers Association defines NEMA enclosure types in NEMA standard number 250. The following table outlines which IEC 60529 IP code each respective NEMA guideline meets. Ratings between the two standards are not directly equivalent: NEMA ratings also require additional product features and tests (such as functionality under icing conditions, enclosures for hazardous areas, knock-outs for cable connections and others) not addressed by IP ratings.

Waterproofness without IP rating

There is a common misconception that smartphones that have no IP rating are equal to having no water resistance at all. Due to the high cost of getting IP certified, many companies make products waterproof without certifying them to reduce overhead costs.

See also

• Appliance classes
• EN 62262 – IK code on resistance to mechanical impacts
• MIL-STD-810
• U.S. Military connector specifications for military equivalents
• Water Resistant mark on wrist watches

References

1. Ingress Protection: The System of Tests and Meaning of Codes, archived from the original on 22 May 2013.
2. Source IEx. "Degrees of Protection" (PDF).
3. DIN 40050-9: Straßenfahrzeuge; IP-Schutzarten; Schutz gegen Fremdkörper, Wasser und Berühren; Elektrische Ausrüstung , May 1993. An English translation of the German original is available from DIN.
4. ISO 20653:2013 Road Vehicles-Degrees of protection (IP code) Protection of electrical equipment against foreign objects, water and access
5. "NEMA Enclosure Types" (PDF). National Electrical Manufacturers Association. November 2005. pp. 7–9. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
6. Jhaveri, Aakash (22 March 2019). "Explained: Smartphone Waterproofing and IP Ratings". Mashable India. Retrieved 9 April 2022.

External links

• 2004 version of the standard

• Certification marks
• Electrical enclosures
• IEC 60529