IP Code

The IP Code, or Ingress Protection Code,

IEC standard 60529, sometimes
interpreted as International Protection
Code, classifies and rates the degree of
protection provided by mechanical casings
and electrical enclosures against intrusion,
dust, accidental contact, and water. It is
published by the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The
equivalent European standard is EN
60529.

The standard aims to provide users more

detailed information than vague marketing
terms such as waterproof. For example, a
cellular phone rated at IP68 is "dust
resistant" and can be "immersed in 1.5
meters of freshwater for up to 30
minutes". Similarly, an electrical socket
rated IP22 is protected against insertion of
fingers and will not be damaged or
become unsafe during a specified test in
which it is exposed to vertically or nearly
vertically dripping water. IP22 or IP2X are
typical minimum requirements for the
design of electrical accessories for indoor
use.

The digits indicate conformity with the

conditions summarized in the tables
below. The digit 0 is used where no
protection is provided. The digit is
replaced with the letter X when insufficient
data has been gathered to assign a
protection level.

There are no hyphens in a genuine IP code.

IPX-8 (for example) is thus an invalid IP
code.[1]

This page contains a combination of IEC

60529 (also EN 60529) and other
standards, such as ISO 20653. The original
documents are available for purchase, and
have important and specific requirements
that cannot be fully reprinted due to
copyright restrictions. This often includes
drawings specifying the required test
equipment, such as the shape of water
nozzles used for water jet testing.
Additional standards are often referenced
that may contain important information.
One must refer to the latest revision of the
required standard when conducting tests
for agency certification.

Code breakdown
This table shows what each digit or part of
the IP code represents.[2]

IPX Codes Explanation Chart

Second digit: Third digit:

First characteristic Additional Supplementary
Liquid Mechanical
Code letters numeral: Solid letter: Other letter: Other
ingress impact
particle protection protections protections
protection resistance

IP Single
Single numeral: 0– Single
(International numeral: 0–8 Single letter Single letter
6 or letter X numeral: 0–9
Protection) or letter X

No longer
Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Optional Optional
used

First digit: Solid particle protection …

The first digit indicates the level of

protection that the enclosure provides
against access to hazardous parts (e.g.,
electrical conductors, moving parts) and
the ingress of solid foreign objects.[3]

Level Effective
Description
sized against

X means there is no data available to specify a protection rating with regard

X —
to this criterion.

0 — No protection against contact and ingress of objects

>50 mm Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection
1
2.0 in against deliberate contact with a body part

>12.5 mm
2 Fingers or similar objects
0.49 in

>2.5 mm
3 Tools, thick wires, etc.
0.098 in

>1 mm
4 Most wires, slender screws, large ants etc.
0.039 in

Dust Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient
5
protected quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment.

No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust-tight). A

6 Dust-tight
vacuum must be applied. Test duration of up to 8 hours based on airflow.

Second digit: Liquid ingress

protection
…
The second digit indicates the level of
protection that the enclosure provides
against harmful ingress of water.[4] The
ratings for water ingress are not
cumulative beyond IPX6. A device that is
compliant with IPX7, covering immersion
in water, need not be compliant with IPX5
or IPX6, covering exposure to water jets. A
device that meets both tests is indicated
by listing both tests separated by a slash,
e.g. IPX5/IPX7.
 Protection Effective
Level Details
against against

X means there is no data available to specify a

X — —
protection rating with regard to these criteria.

0 None — —

Dripping water
(vertically falling
drops) shall
have no harmful
Test duration: 10 minutes
effect on the
1 Dripping water specimen when Water equivalent to 1 mm (0.039 in) rainfall per
mounted in an minute
upright position
onto a turntable
and rotated at 1
RPM.

Vertically
dripping water
shall have no
harmful effect
when the Test duration: 2.5 minutes for every direction of tilt
Dripping water enclosure is (10 minutes total)
2 when tilted at tilted at an angle
Water equivalent to 3 mm (0.12 in) rainfall per
15° of 15° from its
minute
normal position.
A total of four
positions are
tested within
two axes.

3 Spraying water Water falling as For a spray nozzle:

a spray at any Test duration: 1 minute per square meter for at least
angle up to 60° 5 minutes[5] Water volume: 10 liters per minute
from the vertical (0.037 impgal/s) Pressure: 50–150 kPa (7.3–
shall have no 21.8 psi)
harmful effect,
 utilizing either: For an oscillating tube: Test duration: 10 minutes
a) an oscillating Water volume: 0.07 liters per minute
fixture, or b) A (0.00026 impgal/s) per hole
spray nozzle
with a
counterbalanced
shield.

Test a) is
conducted for 5
minutes, then
repeated with
the specimen
rotated
horizontally by
90° for the
second 5-minute
test. Test b) is
conducted (with
shield in place)
for 5 minutes
minimum.

4 Splashing of Water splashing Oscillating tube: Test duration: 10 minutes, or spray

water against the nozzle (same as IPX3 spray nozzle with the shield
enclosure from removed)
any direction
shall have no
harmful effect,
utilizing either:

a) an oscillating
fixture, or b) A
spray nozzle
with no shield.
Test a) is
conducted for
10 minutes. b) is
 conducted
(without shield)
for 5 minutes
minimum.

Water projected
by a nozzle
(6.3 mm Test duration: 1 minute per square meter for at least
(0.25 in)) 3 minutes
5 Water jets against
Water volume: 12.5 litres per minute Pressure:
enclosure from
30 kPa (4.4 psi) at distance of 3 meters (9.8 ft)
any direction
shall have no
harmful effects.

Water projected
in powerful jets
Test duration: 1 minute per square meter for at least
(12.5 mm
3 minutes
(0.49 in))
Powerful water
6 against the Water volume: 100 liters per minute (0.37 impgal/s)
jets
enclosure from Pressure: 100 kPa (15 psi) at distance of 3 meters
any direction (9.8 ft)
shall have no
harmful effects.

Water projected
in powerful jets
(6.3 mm
(0.25 in) nozzle)
against the Test duration: at least 3 minutes
Powerful water
enclosure from
jets with Water volume: 75 liters per minute (0.27 impgal/s)
6K any direction,
increased Pressure: 1,000 kPa (150 psi) at distance of 3
under elevated
pressure meters (9.8 ft)
pressure, shall
have no harmful
effects. Found in
DIN 40050, and
not IEC 60529.
7 Immersion, up to Ingress of water Test duration: 30 minutes.[3]
1 meter (3 ft in harmful Tested with the lowest point of the enclosure
3 in) depth quantity shall 1,000 mm (39 in) below the surface of the water, or
not be possible the highest point 150 mm (5.9 in) below the surface,
when the whichever is deeper.
enclosure is
immersed in
water under
defined
conditions of
pressure and
time (up to 1
meter (3 ft 3 in)
of submersion).

8 Immersion, 1 The equipment Test duration: agreement with manufacturer

meter (3 ft 3 in) is suitable for Depth specified by the manufacturer, generally up to
or more depth continuous 3 meters (9.8 ft)
immersion in
water under
conditions
which shall be
specified by the
manufacturer.
However, with
certain types of
equipment, it
can mean that
water can enter
but only in such
a manner that it
produces no
harmful effects.
The test depth
and duration is
expected to be
greater than the
 requirements for
IPx7, and other
environmental
effects may be
added, such as
temperature
cycling before
immersion.

9K Powerful high- Protected Test duration: Fixture: 30 sec. in each of 4 angles (2

temperature against close- min. total), Freehand: 1 min/m2, 3 min. minimum
water jets range high Water volume: 14–16 liters per minute (0.051–
pressure, high- 0.059 impgal/s) Pressure: 8–10 MPa (80–100 bar)
temperature at distance of 0.10–0.15 meters (3.9 in–5.9 in)
spray downs. Water temperature: 80 °C (176 °F)
Smaller
specimens
rotate slowly on
a turntable, from
4 specific
angles. Larger
specimens are
mounted in the
intended
position when
being used, no
turntable
required, and are
tested freehand
for at least 3
minutes at a
distance of
0.15–0.2 meters
(5.9 in–7.9 in).

The specific
requirements for
 the test nozzle
are shown in
figures 7, 8, & 9
of IEC (or EN)
60529.

This test is
identified as
IPx9 in IEC
60529.

(All tests with the letter "K" are defined by

ISO 20653 (replacing DIN 40050-9) and are
not found in IEC 60529, except for IPx9
which is the same as the IP69K water
test.)

Additional letter (optional) …

For the protection of person against

access to hazardous parts with:
Letter Meaning

A Back of hand

B Finger

C Tool

D Wire

Supplementary letter (optional) …

For the protection of equipment specific

to:

Letter Meaning

H High voltage apparatus

M Motion during water test

S Stationary during water test

W Weather conditions

The letter K is specified in DIN 40050-9,

and not in IEC 60529.

IP69K and IPx9

DIN 40050-9 extended the newer IEC
60529 rating system with an IP69K rating
for high-pressure, high-temperature wash-
down applications.[6] Enclosures
conforming with ISO 20653:2013 must not
only be dust-tight (IP6X), but also able to
withstand high-pressure and steam
cleaning.

The IP69K standard was originally

developed for road vehicles—especially
those that need regular intensive cleaning
(dump trucks, concrete mixers, etc.)—but it
also finds use in other areas, such as food
processing machinery and car wash
systems. It was superseded by ISO
20653:2013 Road Vehicles-Degrees of
protection (IP code),[7] and complemented
by the addition of a level 9 water ingress
testing to IEC 60529, which includes
essentially the same spray test as IP69K,
but also includes, in Figure 10, a drawing
for a test fixture designed to verify the
correct water pressure.

Test setup …

The test specifies a spray nozzle that is

fed with 80 °C water at 8–10 MPa (80–100
bar) and a flow rate of 14–16 L/min. The
nozzle is held 10–15 cm from the tested
device at angles of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° for
30 seconds each. The test device sits on a
turntable that completes a rotation once
every 12 seconds (5 rpm). The IPx9
specification details a freehand method
for testing larger specimens that will not
fit on a turntable (see table above). The
free hand method also requires (at least)
one additional minute of spray time (1
min/m2, 3 min. minimum). The test
distance also increases to .175 m (0.15–
0.2 m per section 14.2.9).

North America (NEMA rating)

In the US, the National Electrical
Manufacturers Association defines NEMA
enclosure types in NEMA standard number
250. The following table outlines which
IEC 60529 IP code each respective NEMA
rating meets. Ratings between the two
standards are not directly equivalent:
NEMA ratings also require additional
product features and tests (such as
functionality under icing conditions,
enclosures for hazardous areas, knock-
outs for cable connections and others) not
addressed by IP ratings.
NEMA enclosure[8] IP Code

1 IP20

2 IP22

3, 3X, 3S, 3SX IP55

3R, 3RX IP24

4, 4X IP66 , IP65

5 IP53

6 IP67

6P IP68

12, 12K, 13 IP54

Ingress protection for

consumer electronics
This section does not cite any sources.
Learn more

The inclusion of an ingress protection

rating has become increasingly common
for use in the consumer electronics
market with devices such as mobile
phones, tablet computers and cameras
now being sold as water resistant,
waterproof and dustproof.

Some manufacturers have produced IP

rated smartphones,[9] aimed at consumers
who are concerned about their handsets
getting submerged in liquids or getting
covered in dust.

With the availability of portable devices,

and the desire to get outside with active
lifestyles, portable speakers have become
popular with the rugged consumer market
for those who enjoy outdoor recreation,
extreme sports as well.
See also
EN 62262 – IK code on resistance to
mechanical impacts (Revoked 2002)
MIL-STD-810
U.S. Military connector specifications for
military equivalents
Water Resistant mark on wrist watches

References
1. IEC 60529, Edition 2.2, 2013, page 19
2. Source IEx. "Degrees of Protection"
(PDF).

3. International Electrotechnical
Commission (2013). IEC 60529 -
Degrees of protection provided by
 enclosures (IP Code). International
standard (2.2 ed.). p. 21.
ISBN 9782832210864.
OCLC 864643678 .
4. Ingress Protection: The System of
Tests and Meaning of Codes ,
archived from the original on 2012-
12-29.
5. IEC 60529, p. 27.
. DIN 40050-9: Straßenfahrzeuge; IP-
Schutzarten; Schutz gegen
Fremdkörper, Wasser und Berühren;
Elektrische Ausrüstung [Road vehicles;
degrees of protection (IP-code);
protection against foreign objects,
 water and impact; electrical
equipment], May 1993. An English
translation of the German original is
available from DIN.
7. ISO 20653:2013 Road Vehicles-
Degrees of protection (IP code)
Protection of electrical equipment
against foreign objects, water and
access
. "NEMA Enclosure Types" (pdf).
National Electrical Manufacturers
Association. November 2005. pp. 7–9.
Retrieved 10 January 2017.
9. "Understanding IP rating for
smartphones – What do the numbers
 mean" . SlashGear. 2019-05-12.
Retrieved 2019-10-30.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media

related to IP code.

2004 version of the standard

example of IP ratings used in marine
electronics

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