What do the IP protection classes mean?
IP protection classes indicate how well enclosures and devices are protected against the ingress of foreign objects and water. The first digit describes protection against solid objects, while the second digit denotes protection against water. High values represent maximum protection and are particularly relevant in industry.
Meaning of IP Protection Classes:
IP protection classes define how well a specific component is protected against external ingress of water or foreign bodies, such as dust. The abbreviation IP comes from English and means "International Protection," and the term "Ingress Protection" is also frequently used. In general, this refers to protection against ingress. To define the protection class of a product, the product is tested after the development process, and a corresponding protection class is assigned. An example of this is a sight glass lamp. If water penetrates the lamp housing, it can lead to a dangerous overvoltage. Such a failure can cause a short circuit or even more extensive dangers, such as a fire. Therefore, such specific electronic components should have the highest possible IP protection class.
List of IP Protection Classes:
There are many different protection classes, each composed of two digits. The combination of these two digits determines the respective protection class, e.g., for sight glass lamps. The first digit is chosen in the range from 0 to 6, while the second digit can be between 0 and 9. The first digit focuses on protection against foreign bodies and contact. The second digit indicates how well, for example, sight glass lamps are protected against the ingress of water.
| 1st Digit Protection against foreign bodies and contact | 2nd Digit Protection against water | ||
|---|---|---|---|
0 | unprotected | 0 | unprotected |
1 | protected against solid foreign bodies | 1 | protected against dripping water |
2 | protected against solid foreign bodies | 2 | protected against falling dripping water |
3 | protected against solid foreign bodies | 3 | protected against falling spray water |
4 | protected against solid foreign bodies | 4 | protected against splashes (from all directions) |
5 | protected against dust | 5 | protected against water jets |
6 | dust-tight | 6 | protected against heavy seas |
|
| 7 | protected against temporary immersion |
|
| 8 | protected against continuous immersion |
|
| 9 | Protection against water at |
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