The protection of enclosures against ingress of dirt or against the ingress of water is defined in IEC529 (BSEN60529:1991). Conversely, an enclosure which protects equipment against ingress of particles will also protect a person from potential hazards within that enclosure, and this degree of protection is also defined as a standard.
The degrees of protection are most commonly expressed as "IP" followed by two numbers, e.g. IP65, where the numbers define the degree of protection. The first digit (Foreign Bodies Protection)shows the extent to which the equipment is protected against particles, or to which persons are protected from enclosed hazards. The second digit (Water Protection) indicates the extent of protection against water. The wording in the table is not exactly as used in the standards document, but the dimensions are accurate.
The first digit in the rating is the protection against contact and foreign bodies. The second digit in the rating is the water protection factor. The third digit in the impact protection factor It is normally displayed in the format below.
IP Code, (International Protection) an international standard rating for the protection of electrical equipment against accidental contact and the ingress of dust and water.
First Index - Foreign Bodies Protection, Solids |
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| Index | Protection against Human/Tool Contact | Protection against solid objects (foreign bodies) |
| 0 | No special protection | |
| 1 | Back of hand, Fist | Large foreign bodies, diam. >50 mm |
| 2 | Finger | Medium-sized foreign bodies, diam. >12 |
| 3 | Tools and wires etc with a thickness >2.5 mm | Small foreign bodies, diam. >2.5 mm |
| 4 | Tools and wires etc with a thickness >1 mm | Granular foreign bodies, diam. >1 mm |
| 5 | Complete protection, (limited ingress permitted) | Dust protected; dust deposits are permitted, but their volume must not affect the function of the unit. |
| 6 | Complete protection | Dust-proof |
Second Index - Water Protection, Liquids |
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| Index | Protection against water | Protection from condition |
| 0 | No special protection | |
| 1 | Water dripping/falling vertically | Condensation/Light rain |
| 2 | Water sprayed at an angle (up to 15° degrees from the vertical) | Light rain with wind |
| 3 | Spray water (any direction up to 60° degrees from the vertical) | Heavy rainstorm |
| 4 | Spray water from all directions, (limited ingress permitted) | Splashing |
| 4X | Spray water from all directions, (limited ingress permitted) & Corrosion Resistant | Splashing (Usually Stainless Steel) |
| 5 | Low pressure water jets from all directions, (limited ingress permitted) | Hose down, residential |
| 6 | High pressure jets from all directions, (limited ingress permitted) | Hose down, commercial. eg. Ship decks |
| 6P | Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m. Duration of test 30 min | Totally protected against dust |
| 12 & 12k | Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical. | Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) |
| 13 | Protected against water sprayed from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted. | Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) |
Third Index - Impact Protection, Impact |
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| Index | Protection against impact | Equivalent mass impact |
| 0 | No special protection | |
| 1 | Protected against 0.225 J impact | eg. 150 g weight falling from 15 cm height |
| 2 | Protected against 0.375 J impact | eg. 250 g weight falling from 15 cm height |
| 3 | Protected against 0.5 J impact | eg. 250 g weight falling from 20 cm height |
| 4 | Protected against 2.0 J impact | eg. 500 g weight falling from 40 cm height |
| 5 | Protected against 6.0 J impact | eg. 0.61183 kg weight falling from 1 m height |
| 6 | Protected against 20.0 J impact | eg. 2.0394 kg weight falling from 1 m height |
Comparing NEMA enclosures and IEC Equivalents.
IEC equivelants listed here are the latest approximations. It is the responsibility of the user
to verify the enclosure rating necessary for the given application.
Enclosure type |
IP20 |
IP22 |
IP24 |
IP55 |
IP53 |
IP54 |
IP66/65 |
IP67 |
IP68 |
1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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3X |
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3S |
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3SX |
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3R |
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3RX |
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4 |
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4X |
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5 |
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6 |
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6P |
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12 |
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12K |
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13 |
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