IP Code

The IP Code defined in international standard IEC 60529 classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures.IEC 60529: Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code). International Electrotechnical Commission, Geneva.] It consists of the letters IP (for "international protection rating" [IEC 60529(ed2.1), clause 4.1] , sometimes also interpreted as "ingress protection rating") followed by two digits and an optional letter. The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as "waterproof".

The digits ('characteristic numerals') indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the tables below. Where there is no protection rating with regard to one of the criteria, the digit is replaced with the letter X.

For example, an electrical socket rated IP22 is protected against insertion of fingers and will not be damaged or 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.

First digit

The first digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign objects.

Further letters can be appended to provide additional information related to the protection of the device:

An additional number has sometimes been used to specify the resistance of equipment to mechanical impact. This has now been superseded by the IK number specified in EN 50102.

IP69K

German standard DIN 40050-9 extends the IEC 60529 rating system described above with an IP69K rating for high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down applications. [DIN 40050-9: Straßenfahrzeuge; IP-Schutzarten; Schutz gegen Fremdkörper, Wasser und Berühren; Elektrische Ausrüstung [Road vehicles; degrees of protection (IP-code); protection against foreign objects, water and impact; electrical equipment] . May 1993. (an English translation of the German original is available from DIN)] Such enclosures must not only be dust tight (IP6X), but also able to withstand high-pressure and steam cleaning.The test specifies a spray nozzle that is fed with 80 °C water at 8–10 MPa (80–100 bar) and a flow rate of 14–16 L/min. The nozzle is held 10–15 cm from the tested device at angles of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° for 30 s each. The test device sits on a turntable that rotates once every 12 s (5 rpm).

The IP69K test specification was initially developed for road vehicles, especially those that need regular intensive cleaning (dump trucks, cement mixers, etc), but also finds use in other areas (e.g., food industry).

References

North American ingress-protection rating systems are defined in NEMA 250, UL 50, UL 508, and CSA C22.2 No. 94.

ee also

*Water Resistant mark on wrist watches
*EN 50102 – IK code on resistance to mechanical impacts

External links

* [http://www.iec.ch IEC Home Page]
* [http://webstore.iec.ch IEC Web Store (buy IEC standards online)]
* [http://www.accesscomms.com.au/reference/ip.htm Australian IP ratings]
* [http://www.ifmefector.com/ifmind/web/test-ip69k.htm Protection test IP69K]
* [http://www.pcenclosures-direct.com/NEMA.html NEMA vs IP Rating]
* [http://news.armagard.co.uk/ip-rating-ip-codes/ IP and Nema News site]
* [http://www.industrial-computer-enclosure.co.uk/IP_Ratings.htm IP Rating information]
* [http://www.siracertification.com/lab.aspx?page=90] - Sira IP Testing Services