Explained in detail: IP protection classes

IEC-standards are not always easy to understand - we explain what IP protection classes are and why they are so important for people and electrical appliances.

IP protection class – two numbers for protecting devices and people

The IP protection class (Ingress Protection) is an international classification defined in accordance with IEC 60529, which defines the degree of protection provided by equipment and enclosures for electrical equipment with a rated voltage of up to 72.5 kV against the ingress of solid foreign objects and water. The IP code is used to assess the suitability of devices for specific environmental conditions. At least, that is the technical definition. However, this is far less understandable for the non-expert, which is why we will take a closer look at it in this blog post and explain everything with easy-to-understand examples.

An IEC standard (standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission) is an internationally valid standard that can be adopted by individual countries or applied in a stricter form. In the case of IEC 60529, this was adopted for the EU area in EN (European Standard) 60529. The purpose is to make it clear to both the manufacturer and the consumer how effective the protection is against contact and the ingress of foreign bodies of a certain size, including dust and water.

What do the IP protection classes mean?

The IP protection class indicates how well an electrical device is protected against the ingress of foreign solid substances (such as dust) and water. There are very clear indicators for this. Choosing the right IP protection class is crucial for your own safety and the longevity of electrical devices, but also for protecting people when using the device. Every cordless screwdriver, every instantaneous water heater – even every junction box for wiring – has a corresponding classification. This is especially important when used in industrial applications, in damp rooms or outdoors. For many applications – lighting can be taken as a concrete example – such as our LED recessed spotlights for patios, bathrooms or gardens, protection classes IP65 and IP67 are particularly recommended. These offer reliable protection. However, there are also many areas of application where lower protection classes are perfectly adequate. So, the environment in which the lighting is to be installed must be considered in advance.

For recessed spotlights in stairwells, protection class IP44 or higher is generally recommended, as this ensures protection against splashing water from all sides and solid foreign objects larger than 1mm. This is advisable because stairwells are often exposed to draughts, moisture and dust. However, if the stairwell is unheated or particularly damp, as is often the case in apartment buildings with open areas, protection class IP54 or higher may also be advisable. For outdoor or basement stairs, protection class IP65, which is suitable for outdoor use, should be considered in any case.

For recessed spotlights in living rooms, protection class IP20 is usually sufficient. This provides protection against finger contact and is ideal for dry indoor areas where no contact with moisture or dust is expected. Yet, if the spotlights are to be installed near plant watering systems, large windows (with possible condensation) or in an open-plan kitchen, IP44 may be a safer choice. These are two simple examples which show that even rooms of the same type may require completely different protection classes. Guidance can be the general rule of thumb that the drier and more protected the room, the lower the IP protection class can be. In contrast to an insufficient protection class, however, it never hurts to choose a class with a higher level of protection than the environmental conditions require.

The IP protection rating consists of two consecutive digits. The first digit, ranging from 0 to 6, indicates the degree of protection against solid foreign objects and contact. The higher this number, the lower the risk of electric shock from contact with live parts of the electrical device and the risk of short circuits due to the ingress of foreign objects. The second digit ranges from 0 to 9. This stands for protection against water. The higher the number, the better the device is protected against the ingress of water and moisture.

EXAMPLE: IP65 = Dustproof + Protection against water jets from all directions.

First digit - Protection against contact and foreign objects

• 0 No protection
• 1 Protection against solid foreign objects larger than 50 mm (e.g. back of hand)
• 2 Protection against solid foreign objects larger than 12,5 mm (e.g. finger)
• 3 Protection against solid foreign objects larger than 2,5 mm (e.g. instruments)
• 4 Protection against solid foreign objects larger than 1,0 mm (e.g. wire)
• 5 Protection against dust in harmful quantities (dust-protected)
• 6 Complete protection against dust ingress (dustproof)

Second digit - Protection against water and moisture

• 0 No protection
• 1 Protection against vertically falling dripping water
• 2 Protection against dripping water when the enclosure is tilted up to 15°
• 3 Protection against spray water up to 60° from the vertical
• 4 Protection against splashing water from all sides (e.g. rain)
• 5 Protection against water jets from any angle (e.g. garden hose)
• 6 Protection against strong water jets or brief flooding (e.g. high-pressure cleaners)
• 7 Protection against temporary submersion (30 minutes at depths of up to 1 metre)
• 8 Protection against permanent submersion (water depth usually according to manufacturer's specifications)
• 9 (K) Protection against water during high-pressure/steam jet cleaning (according to DIN EN 60529 for industrial environments)

NOTE: It is common for individual lighting components to have different protection classes. While recessed spotlights for outdoor use are often exposed to harsh weather conditions, the associated transformer is usually installed in a protected area ,and is therefore better protected against water and foreign objects. It should be noted that the cabling must be adapted to the specific application, which is not guaranteed for all systems and manufacturers. Our OUTDOOR mini spotlights therefore have connection cables that comply with protection class IP65 and have sealed screw connections.

We hope that the explanation of the protection classes was detailed and easy to understand. If you have any questions, please feel free to send us an email. We are also always happy to receive feedback, because, as you can imagine, a text like this is a lot of work, requires thorough research in specialist articles, and combing through DIN standards is a dry and tedious task. Still, all these and especially the latter is one that is essential if you want to translate technical jargon into understandable language.

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Your Sascha from S-Polytec