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IP ratings


What is IP rating?

IP ratings indicate the degree of protection against intrusion of solids and liquids. It consists of the letters IP followed by two digits.

First digit - Solids

The first digit of the IP rating indicates the degree of protection or limitation against ingress of a part of human body or tools held by a person to protect people against access to hazardous parts and the ingress of solid foreign objects into the enclosure.
1st digit Protected against Test condition Protected against Test condition
0 Not protected - Not protected -
1 Any large surface of the body such as the back of a hand An access probe, sphere of 50mm in diameter, shall have adequate clearance from hazardous parts. Solid foreign objects of 50 mm or larger in diamter An object probe, sphere of 50 mm in diameter, shall not fully penetrate.
2 Fingers or similar objects The tip of a jointed test finger of 12mm in diameter and 80 mm long shall have adequate clearance from hazardous parts. Solid foreign objects of 12.5 mm or larger in diamter An object probe, sphere of 12.5 mm in diameter, shall not fully penetrate.
3 Tools, thick wires, etc. An access probe, sphere of 2.5mm in diameter, shall not penetrate. Solid foreign objects of 2.5 mm or larger in diamter An object probe, sphere of 12.5 mm in diameter, shall not penetrate at all.
4 Wires An access probe, sphere of 1.0mm in diameter, shall not penetrate. Solid foreign objects of 1.0 mm or larger in diamter An object probe, sphere of 1.0 mm in diameter, shall not penetrate at all.
5 Wires An access probe, sphere of 1.0mm in diameter, shall not penetrate. Dust-resistant Ingress of dust is not totally prevented, but dust shall not penetrate in an amount to interfere with satisfactory operation of the apparatus or to impair safety.
6 Wires An access probe, sphere of 1.0mm in diameter, shall not penetrate. Dust-tight No ingress of dust

Second digit - Liquids

The second digit of the IP rating indicates the degree of protection against harmful ingress of water.
2nd digit
(JIS Protection Class)
Protected against Test condition
0(0) Not protected -
1(1) Vertically falling water drops In installed state, expose to water equivalent to 1mm rainfall per minute falling from a height of 200mm above for 10 minutes
2(2) Water drops falling in a range of 15 deg. angle from vertical In installed state, expose to water equivalent to 3mm rainfall per minute for four direction (front, back, left and right) tilted at 15 degrees to the vertical plane from a height of 200mm or higher for 2.5 minutes each (10 minutes in total)
3(3) Water falling as spray at an angle up to 60 deg. from vertical In installed state, spray water on the apparatus from a height of 300 to 500mm above using a spray nozzle covering the range from vertical to 60 degrees tilt off vertical on both sides. Water volume: 10 ±0.5 litres per minute, water pressure: 50 to 150 kPa, test duration: 1 minute per 1sqm of the outer surface of the apparatus, at least 5 minutes in total
4(4) Splashing water from any angle In installed state, spray water on the apparatus from a height of 300 to 500mm above using a spray nozzle covering the range from vertical to 180 degrees tilt off vertical on both sides. Water volume: 10 ±0.5 litres per minute, water pressure: 50 to 150 kPa, test duration: 1 minute per 1sqm of the outer surface of the apparatus, at least 5 minutes in total
5(5) Water projected in jets from any direction In installed state, water is projected in jets against the apparatus from any direction using the designated spray nozzle of 6.3mm inner diameter. Distance between nozzle and apparatus: 2.5 to 3m, water volume: 12.5 litres ±5% per minute, water flow diameter: about 40mm at a distance of 2.5m from the nozzle end, test duration: 1 minute per 1sqm of the outer surface of the apparatus, at least 3 minutes in total
6(6) Water projected in jets from any direction In installed state, water is projected in jets against the apparatus from any direction using a designated spray nozzle of 12.5mm inner diameter. Distance between nozzle and apparatus: 2.5 to 3m, water volume: 100 litres ±5% per minute, water flow diameter: about 120mm at a distance of 2.5m from the nozzle end, test duration: 1 minute per 1sqm of the outer surface of the apparatus, at least 3 minutes in total
7(7) No ingress of water when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions Leave the apparatus in water for 30 minutes in a position so as the highest point is positioned 150 mm or more beclow the water surface and the lowest point is positioned 1000 mm of more below the surface.
8(8) Suitable for use being immersed in water under a specified pressure Based on the agreement between the manufacturer and the user
【Reference materials】
Japanese Industrial Standard JIS C 0920-1993 "Tests to prove protection against ingress of water and degrees of protection against ingress of solid objects for electrical equipment"
The Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association Standard: JEM 1267-1986 ”Types of protection classes for switchboards and control panels"
German Institute for Standardization DIN 40050
International Electrotechnical Commission IEC 144, IEC 529