Ingress Protection (IP)

In the IEC (International Electrotechnical commission) 60529 standard document,it specifies an international classification system for the sealing effectiveness of enclosure of electrical equipment against the intrusion into the equipment of foreign bodies (e.g. tools, dust, body parts like hands and fingers) and moisture.The classification system utilizes the letters "IP" followed by two digits.

The first digit of the IP code indicates the degree of protection against foreign 

objects entering into the electrical equipments. 

The second digit of the IP code indicates the degree of protection against the ingress of various forms of moisture (e.g. water dripping,spraying and submersion, etc.).

An "X" can used for one of the digit if there is only one class of protection,e.g.IPX5 which addresses protected against water projected in jets from all directions.

                    IP (Ingress Protection) Rating Table

1st Digit	Protection against foreign objects	2nd Digit	Protection against water   ingress
0	No special protection	0	No special protection
1	Protected against solid foreign objects of 50 mm diameter and greater (e.g. hands, large tools).	1	Protected against vertically falling drops of water.
2	Protected against solid foreign objects of 12.5 mm diameter and greater (e.g. persons fingers or small objects)	2	Protection against dripping water up to 15o from the vertical
3	Protected against solid foreign objects of 2.5 mm diameter and greater (Tools, Wires)	3	Protected against water sprayed at an angle upto 60 ° on either side of the vertical
4	Protected against solid foreign objects of 1 mm diameter and greater (small wires, tools, screws).	4	Protection from Splashed Water from any direction
5	Protected against dust, limited ingress of dust permitted (no harmful deposit)	5	Protected against water projected in jets from all direction (low pressure)
6	Dust Tight, complete protection against the ingress of dust.	6	Protected against water projected in powerful jets from all direction
		7	Protected against the effect of immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
		8	Protects against long periods of immersion in water under pressure.