Definition of Ingress Protection Codes
The International Electrotechnical Commission’s 60529 Standards document specifies an international classification system for the sealing effectiveness, or ingress protection, of electrical equipment enclosures against the “intrusion of foreign bodies and moisture.”
Degrees of Ingress Protection: First Digit
The first digit of ingress protection ratings indicates the degree of protection against dust.
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects over 50mm (e.g. accidental touch by hands) |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects over 12mm (e.g. fingers) |
| 3 | Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm (e.g. tools and wires) |
| 4 | Protected against solid objects over 1mm (e.g. small tools and small wires) |
| 5 | Protected against dust; limited ingress (no harmful deposit) |
| 6 | Totally protected against dust |
Degrees of Ingress Protection: Second Digit
The second digit of ingress protection ratings indicates the degree of protection against moisture.
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against vertically falling drops of water |
| 2 | Protected against direct sprays up to 15° from the vertical |
| 3 | Protected against sprays up to 60° from the vertical |
| 4 | Protected against sprays from all directions; limited ingress permitted |
| 5 | Protected against low pressure jets of water from all directions; limited ingress permitted |
| 6 | Protected against strong jets of water (e.g. for use on ship decks); limited ingress permitted |
| 7 | Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m for 30 minutes |
| 8 | Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure |
Based on the above, our standard for defining a “process sealed” switch is “sealed to meet the minimum requirements of IP67.” This means that a switch rated IP67 is “dust-tight” and will pass a water submersion test at 40 inches (1m) for up to 30 minutes.
Due to the variables encountered in actual water-wash machine processing, IP67 does not necessarily insure that water entry into the switch cannot occur. The water-wash pressures and air-knife drying that occurs in modern PC board machine-washing can exceed the seal requirements of the IP67 rating.
Common IP Ratings for Switches
IP40 – Most switches fall within this rating, where there is protection from solid objects larger than 1mm
IP54 – Typically referred to as weather resistant, meaning it is resistant to rain, but not a soaking with a hose
IP65 – Same as above, but can protect against a water hose
IP66 – Protected against strong jets of water
IP67 – Protected against temporary water immersion in less than 1 meter deep
IP68 – Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure