An IP or ingress protection (IP) rating is an standard that provides information regarding the level of protection that an electronic device have against solids and liquids. The IP rating consist of two digit that indicate the level of protection that the device has against different environmental factors. The first digit indicate the level of protection that the device has against solid objects, while the second digit indicate the level of protection that the device has against liquids.
If the IP rating contain the letter X in place of a digit, it indicates that the manufacturer has not tested the device for that category of protection. The first digit of the IP protection rate indicate the protection of the device against solid particles. The first digit increases in value as the device becomes more resistant against solid particles of smaller diameters.
What is an IP Rating
Devices with a low first digit is protected against large solid objects, such as the hands and tools of the users, but have little protection against microscopic solid particles like dust. Because excessive amounts of dust can enter electronic devices and lead to the device failing, those that intend to utilize the device in an environment containing high amount of dust should check the first digit of an IP protection rate. The second digit of the IP protection rate indicate the protection of the device against liquids.
The second digit increases in value as the device becomes more increasingly resistant against water exposure. The second digit indicates the level of protection against water splashes, water jets, and submersion in water. Each measurement use a different standard for water protection.
For instance, a resistance to water splashes may indicate that the device is able to withstand a resistance to water splashes from a height, but the device may not be able to withstand the pressure of a high speed water jet. Thus, the second digit of an IP protection rate does not have the same meaning for protection against water splashes as it does for protection against submersion in water. The higher the IP protection rate of an electronic device, it does not necessarily indicate that the device is protected against more environmental factor than another electronic device with a slightly lower IP protection rate.
Devices with high level of protection against water exposure may have seal on the device that are designed to withstand high pressure water jets during operation, but the seals may not be designed to continuously expose the device to the pressure of being submerged in water. Thus, the IP protection rate of a device should match the requirements for the environment in which the device will be utilized. Additionally, devices with the same IP protection rate may have different limit regarding how long they can remain submersed in water.
Finally, another consideration for the protection of electronic devices against solid and liquids particles is the physical seal that the devices use to protect against those elements. The seals can degrade over time due to exposure to sunlight or temperature change. If the seals crack over time, electronic devices may no longer be protected against the elements.
Thus, another consideration for those purchasing electronic devices is to purchase a device whose IP protection rate is higher then the environmental conditions in which it will be used. This additional percentage of protection against the elements will ensure that the device remains protected even if the environment is more extreme than expected.