Ingress protection rating or IP rating (IEC 60529)

IEC 60529 has classified the degree of protection offered by an enclosure against solid particles and liquid. This classification is known as the ingress protection code/ IP code/ IP rating/ index of protection. To ensure the correct protection of the internal components and to suit the environment where the enclosure is installed, these codes are used.

What is IP rating?

IP stands for ingress protection. It is the international classification of the level of protection offered by an enclosure against dust, accidental contacts, and water.

Reading ingress protection rating

The rating is mentioned as IP followed by two numbers or in some cases three letters.

The first digit indicates the level of protection offered by the enclosure against the intrusion of foreign bodies such as dust, tools, and fingers and the degree of protection for persons against access to hazardous parts inside the enclosure.

The second digit indicates the level of protection offered against the ingress of liquids, such as water.

The third digit indicates the mechanical protection and its resistance to impact. It is indicated most often.

Example: The below image shows the nameplate of an electric motor with its ingress protection code highlighted. Its code IP55 means that the motor enclosure can provide sufficient protection to the internal parts against dust particles and protect from small water jets (projected by a nozzle of 6.3 mm) from any direction

Ingress protection rating or IP rating (IEC 60529) of motor
Motor nameplate showing IP rating. Image source: https://www.mawdsleysber.co.uk/

When there is not enough data to specify the level of protection, the number is replaced by the letter X. For example, if the ingress protection rating is IPX8, it means that there is not enough data to indicate the level of protection offered against dust and ‘8’ indicates that it can protect against long periods of immersion (if the equipment can be submerged, dust might not be able to enter).

Ingress Protection table

CodeProtection against solids (Denoted by the first character of IP code)
0No protection against solids.
1Protected from all solids greater than 50 mm and accidental touch by hands.
2Protected from all solids greater than 12 mm and accidental touch by fingers.
3Protected from all solids greater than 2.5 mm.
4Protected from all solids greater than 1 mm.
5Protected from all kinds of dust -limited ingress.
6Completely protected from dust.
CodeProtection against liquids (Denoted by the second character of IP code)
0No protection against liquids.
1Protection against vertical water drops (example: rain).
2Protection against direct sprays at 150.
3Protection against direct sprays at 600.
4Protection against direct sprays from any direction.
5Protection against low-pressure jets from any direction.
6Protection against high-pressure jets from any direction and high seas.
7Protection against the effects of immersion between 15cm – 1 meter.
8Protection against long periods of immersion.
9KProtection against high-temperature water jets at a pressure of 80bars from any angle.
CodeThe energy of impact (Denoted by the third character of the IP code)
0No protection impact protection.
10.15J
20.20J
30.37J
40.50J
50.70J
61J
72J
85J
9K10J

Ingress Protection chart

IP NumberFirst Digit – SOLIDSSecond Digit – LIQUIDS
IP00Exposed to direct contact with solids.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP01Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against condensation.
IP02Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP03Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP04Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against water spray from any direction.
IP05Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP06Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP07Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP08Exposed to direct contact with solids.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP10Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP11Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against condensation.
IP12Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP13Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP14Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against water spray from any direction.
IP15Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP16Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP17Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP18Not protected against direct contact by hands greater than 50 millimeters.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP20Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP21Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against condensation.
IP22Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP23Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP24Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against water spray from any direction.
IP25Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP26Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP27Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP28Not protected against direct contact by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP30Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP31Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against condensation.
IP32Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP33Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP34Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against water spray from any direction.
IP35Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP36Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP37Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP38Not exposed to tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP40Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP41Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against condensation.
IP42Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP43Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP44Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against water spray from any direction.
IP45Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP46Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP47Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP48Not exposed to tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP50Protection against limited dust ingress.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP51Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against condensation.
IP52Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP53Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP54Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against water spray from any direction.
IP55Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP56Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP57Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP58Protection against limited dust ingress.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP60Completely Protection against dust ingress.Exposed to direct contact with liquids.
IP61Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against condensation.
IP62Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP63Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against water sprays less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP64Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against water sprays from any direction.
IP65Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP66Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against high-pressure water jets from any direction.
IP67Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP68Completely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against long-term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP69KCompletely Protection against dust ingress.Protection against steam-jet cleaning.

https://www.iec.ch/ip-ratings

Ingress protection rating in pdf

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