The IP Code – International Protection Protocols
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The IP code or International Protection Rating Protocols classify the degrees of protection on the device from of solid objects which include body parts like the hands and fingers, dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures. It is a standard that helps solve the issue of the vagueness of certain terms like dust resistant and waterproof, effectively helping consumers know and understand what the device they are looking at can handle when exposed to the elements.
The 1st digit of the Ingress Definition (IP Code) indicates the level of protection your device has against access to parts that can be hazardous like moving parts, parts that have electricity going through them, or the intrusion of objects.
1st Digit – Protection against solid objects # |
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|---|---|---|
| Level | Object Size Protected Against |
Effective Against |
| 0 | – | 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 objects |
| 3 | < 2.5 mm | Tools, thick wires, etc. |
| 4 | < 1 mm | Most wires, screws, 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; complete protection against contact |
| 6 | dust tight | No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact |
The 2nd digit shows how well the device is protected against water.
2nd Digit – Protection against liquids # |
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|---|---|---|
| Level | Protected Against | Details |
| 0 | Not protected | No protection |
| 1 | Dripping water | Vertical drips have no harmful effect. |
| 2 | Dripping water when tilted up to 15° | Vertical drips have no harmful effect while enclosure is tilted up to 15° from its normal position. |
| 3 | Spraying water | Water falling as a spray up to 60° vertically will not harm the device. |
| 4 | Splashing water | Splashing against the enclosure from any direction will not harm the device. |
| 5 | Water jets | Water projected by a nozzle against enclosure will not harm the device. |
| 6 | Powerful water jets | Powerful jets against the device will not harm it. |
| 7 | Immersion <= meter | If the device is immersed in water up to one meter for 30 minutes it will not harm it. |
| 8 | Immersion > 1 meter | The device can be immersed in water continuously under manufacturer specified conditions. This normally means that the device is sealed hermetically but with certain devices this can mean that water can enter but only in a certain manner that does not harm the device. |
