IP Rating

What is IP rating?

The IP rating/code is an abbreviation for Ingress Protection Rating or International Protection Rating. The code classifies the degree of protection for electrical enclosures and expresses the ability of enclosures to resist firm particles/solids (dirt, dust, and the like) as well as liquids like water/other fluid.  
Electrical enclosures are rated with different IP ratings/codes; a code which consist of the letters IP followed by two digits. Each code represents the degree of protection from solids and liquids. The first digit in the code e.g.IP65 reflects the protection degree from solids, while the second digit IP65 reflects the protection degree from liquids (waterproof rating). 

IP rating chart
The below chats explains the meaning behind the IP code and digits. 
First digit
The first digit reflects the enclosure’s level of protection from firm particles/solids. 

First digit

  • First digit: Protection of the enclosure from firm particles (solids)
  • 0: No protection
  • 1: Protection from solids greater than 50 mm in diameter
  • 2: Protection from solids greater than 12.5 mm in diameter
  • 3: Protection from solids greater than 12.5 mm in diameter
  • 4: Protection from solids greater than 1 mm
  • 5: Protection from dust
  • 6: Totally dust-proof

Second digit (fluid)
The second digit reflects the protection degree of the enclosure from harmful liquid ingress such as water/other fluid. 

Second digit (fluid)

  • Second digit: Protection from  liquid ingress (waterproof rating) • Elaboration 
  • 0: No protection
  • 1: Protection from vertically falling drops • Vertical drops should have no harmful effect
  • 2: Protection from vertically falling drops by an incline of up to 15 degrees • Vertical falling drops should not have any harmful effect when the equipment has an incline angle of up to 15 degress compared to the vertical line 
  • 3: Protection from shower/rain • Shower/rain should have no harmful effect when the equipment has an incline angle of up to 60 degrees compared to the vertical line 
  • 4: Protection from strong water splashes from all sides • Strong water splashes should have no harmful effect (strong shower/rain)  
  • 5: Protection from rinsing from all sides • Rinsing (from tubes/nozzles) should not have any harmful effect
  • 6: Protection from strong rinsing from all sides • Strong rinsing from all sides should not have any harmful effect 
  • 7: Protection from short term water immersion • No harmful effect should not be possible by short term immersion in water (from 15 cm up to 100 cm for at least 30 minutes) 
  • 8: Protection from long term immersion • No harmful effect by lasting immersion in water under conditions specified with regards to arrangement between client and manufacturer of the enclosure 
  • 9K: Protection against high pressure water / steam jet cleaners

IP Ratings for Blue Line’s electrical enclosures
Blue Line is an expert in IP rated products for demanding environments. This can e.g. be industrial PCs and monitors for dusty and wet environments. 

Typically, the solutions will appear in IP codes/protection classes such as IP65, IP66, IP67 and IP69K:

-    IP65: Totally dust-proof and protected from rinsing from all sides
-    IP66: Totally dust-proof and protected from strong rinsing from all sides
-    IP67: Totally dust-proof and protected from short term water immersion
-    IP69K: Totally dust-proof and protected from steam-jet cleaning

Products with IP69K classification are used in environments with tough cleaning, e.g. on production of foods and beverages. 

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