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IP Rated Enclosures Explained: What Is An IP Rating?
IP Rated Enclosures Explained: What Is An IP Rating?
IP Rated Enclosures Explained: What Is An IP Rating?
What is an IP rating?
IP (or "Ingress Protection") ratings are defined in international standard EN 60529
(British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). They are used to define levels
of sealing effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from foreign bodies
(tools, dirt etc) and moisture.
IPX Ratings
Not an entirely valid IP rating, but still occassionally seen on websites offering
enclosures (but more commonly lighting). The "x" simply denotes that the value for that
number is missing. You can replace it with a zero, assuming that it has not ingress
protection rating. This may not be the case, but better safe than sorry. The first number
denotes foreign body ingress protection, the second moisture. So "x"5 for example,
means that there is no defined protection from solid objects, but protection against low
pressure water jets, while 5"x" would denote partial protection from dust, but no
particular protection from moisture.
Our range
While we cover a huge range of electrical enclosures, our most common IP ratings are
probably 65, 66, 67 and 68. So for quick reference, these are defined below:
IP65 Enclosure - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against water projected
from a nozzle.
IP66 Enclosure - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against heavy seas or
powerful jets of water.
IP 67 Enclosures - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against immersion. for
30 minutes at depths 150mm - 1000mm
IP 68 Enclosures - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against complete,
continuous submersion in water.