Understanding IP Protection Ratings for Electrical Equipment

PROTECTION RATING
This is identified as IP (Ingress Protection – the degree of protection against the ingress of foreign materials and agents).
CEI EN 60529 (protection rating of housings – IP code) establishes the IP rating to indicate the protection of electrical equipment against access to live components and against penetration by water and foreign solid bodies.
The IP rating is composed of 2 characteristic digits, and may be extended with a supplementary letter if the protection of persons against access to live components is greater than that indicated by the first digit.
Further supplementary letters give additional information relating to the protection of persons or the material.
The IP rating must always be read a digit at a time and not as a single number.

FIRST CHARACTERISTIC DIGIT – PROTECTION AGAINST THE INGRESS OF FOREIGN BODIES AND AGAINST ACCESS TO HAZARDOUS PARTS

SECOND CHARACTERISTIC DIGIT – PROTECTION AGAINST PENETRATION BY WATER

Supplementary letter
Protection of persons against access using tools, to be used only if:

• the effective protection against access to hazardous parts is greater than that indicated in the first characteristic digit
• only protection against access to hazardous parts is indicated and the first digit is replaced by X