I accidently dropped my phone into the water during my last swimming session. Luckily, my phone is waterproof and I studied the specifications. It is a smartphone with an IP67 rating. So what does IP67 mean? What do the two digits represent?
IP rating is known as Ingress Protection or International Protection ratings, which are defined to the international standard of IEC/EN 60529. IP ratings are used to define the levels of sealing effectiveness of the product against intrusion of dirt and water. The first digit indicates the level of protection against solid particles while the second digit represents protection against ingress of liquids.
First Digit
| Level | Protection against | Description |
| 0 | – | No protection against contact and ingress of objects |
| 1 | >50 mm | Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part |
| 2 | >12.5 mm | Fingers or similar objects |
| 3 | >2.5 mm | Tools, thick wires, etc. |
| 4 | >1 mm | Most wires, slender screws, large ants etc. |
| 5 | Dust protected | Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment. |
| 6 | Dust tight | No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact |
Second Digit
| Level | Protection against | Description |
| 0 | – | No protection against water |
| 1 | Dripping water | Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect. |
| 2 | Dripping water when tilted up to 15° | Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position. |
| 3 | Spraying water | Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect. |
| 4 | Splashing water | Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect. |
| 5 | Water jets | Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6 | Powerful water jets | Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 7 | Immersion up to 1m | Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion). |
| 8 | Immersion beyond 1m | The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects. |
With the information from both tables, we can now interpret the ingress protection of equipment. For example, a product with an IP66 rating means that the product is dust tight and protected against powerful high-pressure water jets from all directions.
IP rating is a critical parameter for industrial equipment that is intended to operate in dusty environments and are exposed to the risk of water ingression (outdoor application, offshore application, etc). In Phoenix Contact, we have several products that designed to fit into such extreme environments.
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CLIPSAFE Enclosure
Phoenix Contact CLIPSAFE enclosure product range is IP66 rated, providing comprehensive protection for your application in harsh industrial environments. Thanks to the high quality sealing design, CLIPSAFE enclosure protects your equipment from the risk of dust and water ingression.
 IPX6 All Directions Water Jets Test |
 IPX6 Water Jets Test |
IP6X Dust Test
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HEAVYCON Industrial Connector
With the combination of the robust IP66, IP67 and even IP69K (highest rating till date) rated HEAVYCON industrial connectors, we have a reliable housing that can connect the equipment within CLIPSAFE enclosures to external devices.
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WLAN Module
Not a fan of wired communication?
Phoenix Contact offers wireless communication modules, which features protection up to an IP68 rating. It can be directly mounted on enclosures (CLIPSAFE for instance), providing a complete industrial solution with high IP protection.
