Degrees of protection of electrical equipment according to IEC 60529 / DIN EN 60529
Terms such as drip-proof, water splash protection, waterproof and dustproof are all in common usage but may be misleading unless standard definitions are applied. The IEC has developed a standard coding system defined in IEC 60529 for IP (ingress protection) ratings which indicates the degree of protection of an electrical enclosure.
- Protection categories are identified by the prefix letters “IP“ followed by 2 digits:
- The first digit refers to the level of protection provided against access by solid foreign objects and to hazardous parts
- The second digit shows the level of protection against water ingress
- As an example, a common IP rating is IP67. This rating denotes:
- 1st character (ie. IP6...): Full protection against access to live or internal moving parts. No ingress of dust
- 2nd character (ie. IP...7): Protected against the effects of temporary immersion in water
Below is a table defining each level of protection for both the first and second character.
First characteristic digit:
Degree of protection against access to hazardous parts and against solid foreign objects
Designation | Description | |
| 0 | Non-Protected | No specific protection of persons against accidental access to live or moving parts. No protection of the equipment against solid foreign objects. |
| 1 | Protected against solid foreign objects ≥ 50 mm | Protection against accidental access to live or solid foreign internal moving parts, e.g. with the back of a hand, but no protection against intended access to these parts. Protection against the ingress of solid foreign objects of 50 mm diameter and greater. |
| 2 | Protected against medium-sized foreign objects ≥ 12.5 mm | Protection against finger access to live or internal moving parts. Protection against the ingress of solid foreign objects of 12.5 mm dia. and greater. |
| 3 | Protected against small solid foreign objects ≥ 2.5 mm | Protection against access to live or internal moving parts with a tool, or wires etc. of a thickness of > 2.5 mm. Protection against the ingress of solid foreign objects of 2.5 mm dia. and greater. |
| 4 | Protected against granular foreign objects ≥ 1 mm | Protection against access of live or internal moving parts with a tool, or wires etc. of a thickness of > 1 mm. Protection against the ingress of solid foreign objects of 1 mm dia. and greater. |
| 5 | Dust-protected | Protection against access to live or internal moving parts. Protection against harmful dust deposits. Ingress of dust is not totally prevented, but dust shall not penetrate in a quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the equipment. |
| 6 | Dust-proof | Full protection against access to live or internal moving parts. No ingress of dust. |
Second characteristic digit:
Degrees of protection against ingress of water
Designation | Description | |
| 0 | Non-Protected | No specific protection |
| 1 | Protected against water drops falling vertically | Drops falling vertically shall have no harmful effects |
| 2 | Protected against water drops falling vertically when the enclosure is tilted up to 15° | Drops falling vertically shall have no harmful effects when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15° on either side of the vertical |
| 3 | Protected against water spray | Water sprayed at an angle up to 60° on either side of the vertical shall have no harmful effects |
| 4 | Protected against splashing water | Water splashed against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects |
| 5 | Protected against water jets | Water projected in jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects |
| 6 | Protected against high-pressure water jets | Water projected from powerful jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects * |
| 7 | Protected against the effects of temporary immersion in water | Ingress of water in quantities causing harmful effects shall bot be possible with the enclosure is temporarily immersed in water under specified conditions of pressure and time * |
| 8 | Protected against the effects of continuous immersion in water | Ingress if water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the enclosure is continuously immersed in water under specified conditions of pressure & time * |
* = Certain equipment does not allow any ingress of water. If applicable, this is included in the relevant equipment specifications.