What is the Ingress Rating for IEC 60529

The Ingress Protection (IP) rating is a standard that determines the degree of protection provided by an enclosure or housing against the intrusion of solid objects and liquids. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has established the IEC 60529 standard to classify the IP ratings. This article aims to explain the Ingress Rating for IEC 60529 in an easy-to-understand manner.

Understanding the IP Code

The IP code consists of two digits that define the level of protection against various environmental conditions. The first digit indicates the protection against solid objects, whereas the second digit represents the defense against liquids. Let's delve into each digit and its specific meanings.

Decoding the First Digit

The first digit of the IP code ranges from 0 to 6 and provides information about the protection against solid particles. Here is a breakdown of each level:

0 – No protection: No special protection against solid particles.

1 – Protected against objects bigger than 50mm: The enclosure protects against any large surface area of the body, such as the back of a hand.

2 – Protected against objects bigger than 12.5mm: Fingers or similar objects will not be able to penetrate the enclosure.

3 – Protected against objects bigger than 2.5mm: The enclosure prevents access by tools, wires, or similar small-diameter objects.

4 – Protected against objects bigger than 1mm: Most wires, screws, and other small tools are unable to enter the enclosure.

5 – Dust protected: The enclosure provides complete protection against dust ingress, although a minimal amount of dust may enter under extreme conditions.

6 – Dust tight: The highest level of protection against dust. No dust can penetrate the enclosure under any circumstances.

Understanding the Second Digit

The second digit of the IP code ranges from 0 to 9 and indicates the protection level against liquids. Let's examine each digit:

0 – No protection: No special protection against liquid ingress.

1 – Protection against vertically falling water drops: The enclosure is safe when exposed to vertically falling water droplets or condensation.

2 – Protection against water spray at an angle: The enclosure withstands water spray at angles up to 15 degrees from vertical.

3 – Protection against water spray up to 60 degrees: The enclosure remains unaffected by water spray up to 60 degrees from vertical.

4 – Protection against water splashing from any direction: The enclosure is splash-proof from any direction.

5 – Protection against low-pressure jets: Water projected in jets from all directions does not harm the enclosure.

6 – Protection against powerful jets: The enclosure can withstand high-pressure jets without being damaged.

7 – Protection against temporary immersion: The enclosure can be immersed in water up to a specified depth for a limited time.

8 – Protection against continuous immersion: The enclosure remains undamaged during continuous immersion in water beyond the specified depth.

9 – Protection against high-pressure jets and steam cleaning: The enclosure can withstand high-temperature, high-pressure water jets and steam cleaning.

The IP code is crucial in various industries where equipment or products require protection against specific environmental conditions. Understanding the Ingress Rating for IEC 60529 helps in choosing the appropriate enclosures that can safeguard sensitive electronic components or systems from potential damage caused by solid and liquid ingress.