The Ingress Protection (IP) rating system was established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), an organization for international standards and conformity assessment. The IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). A complete description of the IP ratings and associated tests is found in IEC Publication 529. Although these ratings were initially developed as a way to classify enclosures, they now provide a convenient, practical way to compare levels of sealing. Many electrical products have an Ingress Protection (IP) rating which identifies the environmental factors needing consideration prior to the product’s installation.
Why is IP rating important?
This is important when deciding when to mount products in a dry and clean environment versus a wet and/or dusty environment. The IP rating indicates the degree of protection provided. The numbers following IP represent levels of sealing and can range from no protection to full protection against dust and water.
For example, for an IP65 rating:
- The first number of the rating 6, indicates the enclosure is dust tight.
- The second number of the rating 5, means the enclosure is protected against water jets.
IP rating is very helpful when determining whether or not the component you considering installing is appropriate for your application. Think of what elements the component is going to be exposed to and select an item with an IP rating that will satisfy that environment. For example, if you are thinking of using an ATO/ATC fuse holder in an engine compartment, you would probably want to consider one rated to IP55 like one of Del City’s ATO/ATC fuse holder with LED warning light.
Del City proudly carries various components that are IP rated. A small sample of our IP rated products include:
- Lighting by ECCO®
- Battery switches by Blue Sea Systems®
- Relays by Hella®
- Fuse panels and circuit breakers by Cooper Bussmann (EATON)
- Sealed toggle and ignition switches by Cole Hersee®3
- Low voltage disconnects
- Automatic charging relays
To purchase or learn more about our many IP rated products visit www.delcity.net or call 1.800.654.4757.