Ingress Protection (IP) ratings indicate the level of protection from dust and water for a particular part. This includes various connectors, enclosures, light fixtures, Ethernet switches, cable glands, and other products. IP ratings are noted by a two digit number. The first digit shows the level of dust protection and the second digit indicates the level of water protection. Dust protection ranges from 0-6 and water protection ranges from 0-9. Some products may list two ratings, such as IP 66/67, which means that product meets the standards for two levels of protection. This chart explains what each level of IP protection indicates.
Ingress Protection (IP) Rating Guide |
Number |
Level of Dust Protection |
0 |
No Protection |
1 |
Protected from objects 50 mm (2") in diameter or
greater, such as hands |
2 |
Protected from objects 12.5 mm (0.5") in diameter or
greater, such as fingers |
3 |
Protected from objects 2.5 mm (0.1") in diameter or
greater, such as certain size wires |
4 |
Protected from objects 1 mm (0.04") in diameter or
greater, such as smaller wires |
5 |
Partial protection from dust |
6 |
Total protection from dust; dust tight |
Number |
Level of Moisture Protection |
0 |
No Protection |
1 |
Protected from vertical droplets, such as condensation |
2 |
Protected from droplets up to 15 degrees from vertical |
3 |
Protected from spraying water up to 60 degrees from
vertical |
4 |
Protected from splashing water from any direction |
5 |
Protected from low pressure water jets from any
direction |
6 |
Protected from high pressure water jets from any
direction, such as sea waves |
7 |
Protected from temporary immersion (up to 1 meter
(3.28') depth for up to 30 minutes) |
8 |
Protected from continuous immersion at standards
greater than level 7 |
9 |
Protected from high pressure / high temperature water
jets from any direction, such as washdown applications |