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    General - IP (Ingress Protection) Ratings

    March 8th, 2019

    IP rating (Ingress Protection) is the level of protection effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from solid particles and water.


    First digit: Solid particle protection

    Level Object Size Protection
    0 N/A No protection against contact and ingress of objects.
    1 >50 mm Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part
    2 >12.5 mm Fingers or similar sized objects.
    3 >2.5 mm

    Tools, thick wires, etc.

    4 >1 mm Most wires, slender screws, large ants etc.
    5 Dust protected Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment.
    6 Dust tight

    No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust tight). A vacuum must be applied. Test duration of up to 8 hours based on air flow.


    Second digit: Water ingress protection

    Level Protection Test Condition
    0 No Protection N/A
    1 Dripping Water Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect on the specimen when mounted in an upright position onto a turntable and rotated at 1 RPM.
    2 Dripping water when tilted at 15°
    Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle of 15° from its normal position. A total of four positions are tested within two axes.
    3 Spraying Water

    Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either: 

    a) an oscillating fixture, or 

    b) A spray nozzle with a counterbalanced shield.

    4 Splashing Water

    Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either an oscillating fixture or a spray nozzle with no shield.

    5 Water Jets Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
    6 Powerful water Jets Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
    7 Immersion up to 1 m Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion).    
    8 Immersion, 1 m or deeper
    The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer.
    9 Powerful high temperature water jets
    Protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs.


    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code

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