IP Protection Numbers - Engineer Data - Compressed Air Technologies

The IP system of classification is designed to indicate the degree of protection against ingress of solids, liquids and mechanical impacts into enclosures in accordance with BS 5490: 1977, IEC 529: 1976. It should be noted that this system of quantifying degrees of protection does not relate to protection against rust & corrosion.

The level of protection is indicated by the letters IP followed by a 2 of 3 digit number, e.g. IP65. The first digit relates to protection against solid objects, the second digit relates to protection against liquids and the third digit (often omitted) relates to protection against mechanical impacts.

First Number - Protection against solid objects
IP	Tests
0	No Protection
1	Protection against solid objects up to 50mm, e.g. accidental touch by hands.
2	Protection against solid objects up to 12mm, e.g. fingers.
3	Protection against solid objects over 2.5mm (tools, wire and small wires).
4	Protection against solid objects over 1mm (tools, wire and small wires).
5	Protection against dust - limited ingress (no harmful deposits).
6	Total protection against dust.

Second Number - Protection against liquids
IP	Tests
0	No Protection
1	Protection against vertically falling drops of water, e.g. condensation.
2	Protection against direct sprays of water up to 15 degrees from vertical.
3	Protection against direct sprays of water up to 60 degrees from the vertical.
4	Protection against water sprayed from all directions - limited ingress permitted.
5	Protection against low pressure jets of water from all directions - limited ingress permitted.
6	Protection against low pressure jets of water, e.g. for use on shipdecks - limited ingress permitted.
7	Protection against the effect of immersion between 15cm and 1m.
8	Protection against long periods of immersion under pressure.

Third Number - Protection against mechanical impact (commonly omitted)
IP	Tests
0	No Protection
1	Protection against impact of 0.225 joule (e.g. 150g weight falling from 15cm height).
2	Protection against impact of 0.375 joule (e.g. 250g weight falling from 15cm height).
3	Protection against impact of 0.5 joule (e.g. 250g weight falling from 20cm height).
5	Protection against impact of 2.0 joule (e.g. 500g weight falling from 40cm height).
7	Protection against impact of 6.0 joule (e.g. 1.5kg weight falling from 40cm height).
9	Protection against impact of 20.0 joule (e.g. 5kg weight falling from 40cm height).