What Is IP?
Devices that are dependent upon electricity and electronics can be damaged and malfunction when they are exposed to water or dust. The IEC has developed what are referred to as ingress protection (IP) ratings that are used to grade the resistance of an enclosure of a device to exposure to dust or liquids, which are widely used to rate any device.
Recently, consumers have developed an interest in smartphone features that ensure resistance to liquid and dust. However, it takes a deep dive to assess the meaning of terms such as “waterproof” and “water-resistant” when applied to marketing copy.
IEC 60529 is used to grade the resistance of electronic device enclosures to dust and liquids. It also rates the ease with which individuals can access the potentially hazardous components of a device.
The standard, prepared by IEC Technical Committee 70, uses the IP code to rate the degrees of protection afforded by the enclosures of devices with a voltage maximum of 72,5 kV. The standard also sets parameters for the tests used to verify that an enclosure meets these requirements.
The IP code comprises two numerals:
* The first numeral refers to the protection against solid objects on a scale from 0 (no protection) to 6 (no invasion of dust).
* The second numeral rates the enclosure’s resistance to liquids and uses a scale from 0 (no protection) to 9 (high-pressure hot water from different angles).
The first edition of IEC 60529 was published, in 1976, with the goal of creating a single document to aggregate all requirements for enclosure protection. Previously, separate standards had been developed for motors and low-voltage switch and control gear.
The information provided on this webpage is for informational purposes only. For a full description of the IP ratings, including their testing conditions, please refer to IEC 60529.
IP ratings are represented by combining the first and second digits of the columns below.
NEMA Rating (US)
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, here in the US, uses NEMA standard number 250 to define NEMA enclosures. The table below illustrates the IEC 60529 IP code for each NEMA guideline. The ratings between the two columns are not equivalent. NEMA ratings are also dependent on additional specs and tests (such as how they hold up in hazardous situations, how they function in icy conditions, whether they have openings for cable connections, etc.) and features that are not defined by IP ratings.
