IP Code
The IP Code or International Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as Ingress Protection Rating, consists
of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter.
As defined in international standard
IEC 60529, it 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. 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.
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 2X are typical minimum requirements
for the design of electrical accessories for indoor use.
IP Rating Reference Chart
Below is an easy to follow
reference chart to help you decide which IP rating you need or have:
| IP Number | First Digit - SOLIDS | Second Digit - LIQUIDS |
| IP00 | Not protected from solids. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP01 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP02 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP03 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP04 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP05 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP06 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP07 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP08 | Not protected from solids. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP10 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP11 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP12 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP13 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP14 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP15 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP16 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP17 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP18 | Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimetres. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP20 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP21 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP22 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP23 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP24 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP25 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP26 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP27 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP28 | Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimetres. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP30 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP31 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP32 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP33 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP34 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP35 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP36 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP37 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP38 | Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimetres. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP40 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP41 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP42 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP43 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP44 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP45 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP46 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP47 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP48 | Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimetre. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP50 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP51 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP52 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP53 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP54 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP55 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP56 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP57 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP58 | Protected from limited dust ingress. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP60 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Not protected from liquids. |
| IP61 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from condensation. |
| IP62 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP63 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP64 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP65 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP66 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP67 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP68 | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP69K | Protected from total dust ingress. | Protected from steam-jet cleaning. |
References:
(IP Codes)," Ed. 2.1 (Geneva: International Electrotechnical
Commision, 2011).
