Ingress Protection (IP) Testing

The Ingress Protection rating (IP Rating) system is a classification system, that in a nutshell, provides you with the levels of protection you’re receiving from solid objects and liquids. The standard aims to provide users with more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof.
In a perfect world, every device will be able to withstand sand, dust, and water to some extent, not all devices. The Ingress Progress rating classification system, for solid objects and liquids.
The basic standards for IP rating are IS/IEC 60529. The standard aims to provide users with more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof. The first digit represents protection against ingress of solid objects, while the second digit represents protection against ingress of liquids; the higher the value, the greater the protection.
The Degree of Protection provided by an enclosure is indicated by the IP coding such as IPXXCH
IP – IP is the Code letters
X – First Characteristics numeral – Dust Protection (numerals 0-6 or latter X)
X – Second Characteristics numeral – Water Protection (numeral 0-8 or latter X)
C – Additional Latter – optional, letters A,B,C, D
H – Supplementary letters – optional, letters H, M, S, W

Applicable Standard: IS/IEC 60529:2001

1. IP 1X, IP 2X, IP 3X, IP 4X for protection of machine against Penetration by solid foreign objects
2. IP 5X for Dust Protection
3. IP 6X for Dust Protection
4. IP X3, IP X4, IP X5, IP X6, IP X7 & IP X8 for protection against ingress of water.

OVERVIEW OF COMMONLY SOUGHT IP CODES

Protection of the tests specified in : the following standard :-

1. IEC 60529
2. BS EN 60529
The standard we most commonly use at ITC for ingress protection is BS EN 60529 and IEC 60529. Within this standard it outlines an international classification system to test the sealing effectiveness of enclosures of electrical equipment against the the equipment of solid particles and liquid.

This classification system utilize the “IP” (“Ingress Protection”) normally followed by two digits:

1. Ingress Protection of (IP) Ratings (Solid ingress)
2. Ingress Protection (IP) Ratings (Liquid ingress)

Process

The testing will access the protection of the equipment against ingress of solid bodies and/or liquids, varying over differing degrees of protection, depending upon the requirements you place on your product.

Protection against solid/dust entry:

The test specified in the first digit of the Protection Index (IP1X, IP2X, IP3X, IP4X, IP5X, IP6X), meaning protection against solid particles and dust entry into the fixture according to the BS EN 60598-1 IEC 60598 – 1, IEC 60529.

1. IP1X Protection against solid object greater than 50mm diameter
2. IP2X Protection against solid objects diameter exceeding than 12.5 mm
3. IP3X Protected against solid objects exceeding than 2.5 mm diameter
4. IP4X Protected against solid objects exceeding than 1.0 mm diameter
5. IP5X Dust Protected
6. IP5X Dust tight (with a vacuum applied to the product)

Protection Index Against Water entry:

This test specify the second digit of the Protection Index ( IPXI, IPX2, IPX3, IPX4, IPX5, IPX6, IPX7, IPX8), meaning protection against water entry into the fixture according to the) BS EN 60598-1 IEC 60598 – 1, IEC 60529.

1. . IPX1 Protected against dripping water
2. IPX2 Protection against dripping water at tilted to 15 degrees
3. IPX3 Protected against spraying water
4. . IPX4 Protected against splashing water
5. IPX5 Protected against water jets
6. IPX6 Protected against powerful water jets
7. IPX7 Temporary immersion in the water
8. IPX8 Continuous immersion in water