Table of Contents
Ingress Protection (IP Code) – to IEC60529 #
Enclosures of electrical equipment are classified according to their agility to resist the ingress of solid objects and water by means of a system of numbers known as the ‘Ingress Protection’ Code. This consists of the letters IP + two numbers, e.g. IP56.
The first number, in the range 0-6, indicates the degree of protection against solid objects, and the higher the number the smaller the solid object that is prevented from entering the enclosure. Zero (0) indicates no protection, and 6 indicates the equipment is dust-tight.
The second number, ranging from 0-8, identifies the level of protection against water entering the enclosure, from 0 – ‘no protection’ to 8 – ‘withstands indefinite immersion a specified at depth.
Table for Ingress Protection (IP Code) #
| Solid Objects | Water | ||
| First Numeral | Level of Protection | Second Numeral | Level of Protection |
| 0 | No protection of equipment against the ingress of solid particles and objects | 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protection against ingress of particles or objects larger than 50mm diameter | 1 | Protection against drops of liquid falling vertically (typically drip proof) |
| 2 | Protection against ingress of solid particles or objects larger than 12.5mm | 2 | Protection against liquid falling at any angle up to 15° from vertical (typically shower proof) |
| 3 | Protection against ingress of solid particles or object larger than 2.5mm | 3 | Protected against liquid falling from any angle up to 60° from the vertical direction. This include spraying of water. |
| 4 | Protection against ingress of solid particles or objects greater than 1.0mm | 4 | Protection against splashing, liquid splashed from any direction should have no harmful effects (splash proofs) |
| 5 | Dust protected – protection against the ingress of dust in an amount sufficient to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment enclosed. | 5 | Protection against powerful water jets, projected against the enclosure from any direction. |
| 6 | Dust – complete protection against the ingress of dust. | 6 | Protection against powerful water jets & condition on ship decks in heavy seas. |
| 7 | Protection against immersion in water up to 1m in depth for a specified time | ||
| 8 | Protection against continuous immersion (submersion)in water to a specific depth |
Illustrations on Ingress Protection (IP Code) #
