IP Rating Meanings | IP69K, IP67, IP65, How Do I Choose?

1. Editor's note: This post has been updated in April 2024 for comprehensiveness.
   
   

2. IP ratings are specified so buyers can be confident in an electrical product's use for specific environments and applications. Unlike vague marketing speak like 'waterproof' and 'dust-resistant' - which don't clearly define the extent an item can resist moisture and dirt - an IP rating is designed to provide a far more specific explanation of the item's degree of protection. The list of IP ratings is long and can be confusing to remember, so follow our guide to understand what each IP rating means and what matters most for your application.

 Skip to a section: 

IP Ratings Explained  |  The First Digit  |  The Second Digit  |  Applications  |  Common IP Ratings  |  
IP Ratings Reference Chart  |  Summary & Resources  

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Browse our products and use our filtering attribute "degree of protection" to select your preferred IP rating.

What are Ingress Protection Ratings?

The International Electrotechnical Commission, or IEC, developed Ingress Protection Ratings, or IP ratings, to rate the resistance an object has against the intrusion of foreign bodies and moisture. IP ratings help users know how protected an electrical item is from dust, water, and other foreign bodies that cause deterioration or malfunctions in the device,

IP ratings are widely used throughout most industries and are especially important to companies working in harsh environments with a high level of dust and debris, or in washdown applications like food, beverage, packaging, and other industries. These ratings are also vital in the selection of electrical products for outdoor use, such as lighting fixtures and outdoor power outlets.

How Do Products Get an IP Rating?

To obtain an ingress protection rating, a company must undergo Ingress Protection Testing by an independent, certified party. The company first determines which IP rating it wishes to obtain for a particular product, and then the independent party performs a series of tests to give the proper IP rating. The party conducting the testing will charge for their services, and in many cases, the cost is ultimately passed to consumers with the product's final price point. Though consumers may pay more up-front, they usually benefit from long-term savings by avoiding frequent repairs and product replacement. 

How to Interpret IP Ratings

IP ratings consist of the letters "IP" followed by a two-digit code (for example, IP67). Each digit of the code represents the item's protection range. The first number denotes foreign body ingress protection, the second number denotes moisture. In general, the higher the number, the greater the protection. 

The First Digit: Protection Against Solids

The first number of an IP code defines the protection an item has against solid objects. This includes tools or fingers that could be hazardous if they came into contact with conductors or moving parts, as well as airborne dirt and dust that could damage circuitry.

The Second Digit: Protection Against Liquids & Moisture

The second number of an ingress protection rating defines the equipment's protection against various forms of moisture (drips, sprays, submersion, etc).

What Applications Need Higher IP Ratings?

Dusty Environments

Some packaging environments for products like snacks or coffee create particulate that wreaks havoc on machinery. Dust easily penetrates improperly sealed enclosures, so a solid IP rating of at least 5 - 6 should be considered for this type of environment. Waterproofing is not as important, so the liquid IP rating does not have to be as high.

Wet Environments

In many food packaging applications, protection from liquids like water and cleaning solutions are vital. Packaging machines for products like cheese, meat, or candy need to be cleaned regularly, and exposed components must be rated to withstand a company's strict washdown process. Therefore, a liquid IP rating of at least 5 - 8, or even 9K for harsh washdown procedures, should be considered for these applications. The solid IP rating, in many cases, does not need to be as high.

Dusty & Wet Environments

Some packaging environments are both dusty and require harsh washdown procedures. In these circumstances, a total IP rating of at least 55 - 68 should be considered - possibly 69K for harsher steam-cleaning procedures. This covers environments that need protection from dust and water jets, up to environments that need total dust-proofing and immersion in water.

Outdoor Use

Outdoor use almost always requires the highest possible level of protection to keep contaminants from penetrating your equipment. Dust-tight enclosures with an IP68 are recommended for outdoor environments. The second digit should be at least 5 for a water-resistant product, but if the enclosure is not exposed to washdowns or rain, then the second digit can be lower.  

Common IP Ratings

What is IP69K?

It's the creme-de-la-creme when it comes to IP ratings, as it's the highest an item can receive. The IP69K rating was added by the IEC for applications that need devices to be routinely exposed to high-pressure and/or high-temperature washdowns. Before, the highest rating was IP68, which was sometimes found to be insufficient for harsh wash-downs. For this reason, a special rating was created by ISO to test the most intensive forms of cleaning, and the IP Ratings Code has since adopted this degree of protection and labeled it IP69K.

IP69K offers the highest protection against dust and water ingress. To achieve this rating, an item has to go through rigorous testing, including:

- Close distance spray: 10-15 cm
- Very hot water: 80°C/176°F
- High pressure: 1160-1450 psi
- Turntable rotation: 5 rpm

Only if the device passes all items of this test can it be considered IP69K and be confidently used in harsh environments with high pressure and steam cleaning.

What is IP67?

The IP67 rating means the item is 100% protected against solid objects like dust and sand and has been tested to work for at least 30 minutes while under 15cm to 1m of water. This rating is commonly found in the connectivity market.

What is IP65?

An IP65-rated item is protected against multi-directional, low-pressure water jets. In order to pass required testing, an item must be able to withstand water projected by a 0.25-inch nozzle for a minimum of fifteen minutes, with the water source placed three yards from the item. The water pressure must also be 30 kPa with a water volume of 3.3 gallons per minute. 

What If There's an X in the IP Rating?

Sometimes, an IP rating's number is replaced by X. This indicates that the enclosure is not rated for that specification. In most cases, it would be safest to replace the X with a zero, assuming it has no ingress protection rating. Although this assumption may not be valid, it's better to be safe than sorry.

"IPX5," for example, means there is no defined protection from solid objects but protection against low-pressure water jets. At the same time, "IP5X" denotes partial protection from dust but no rated protection from moisture.

IP Rating Reference Chart

Here's a chart of all IP Ratings and their definitions organized in an easy-reference guide.

So I hope this article de-mystified IP ratings, their meaning, configuration, and when they truly matter to your application. If you need any assistance with selecting IP-rated products for your application, don't hesitate to contact us, and we can help provide the best solution.

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