How do you select the correct IP rating for an electrical enclosure?

To determine the most suitable IP rating for your application, assess its location for potential threats to your electrical equipment. Getting this right matters in both directions: too little protection can result in damage or unsafe conditions, while too much can result in excessive cost or impaired performance.

Ingress protection (IP) ratings are defined by the international standard IEC 60529 and consist of two numbers. The first indicates protection against solid objects like dust and ranges from no protection at IP0X to dust-tight at IP6X. The second number relates to liquid protection, which also starts at 0 but goes up to 9K, representing protection against powerful high-temperature water jets.

Appropriate solid protection depends on numerous factors, including how dusty the area is and whether the enclosure will be in a high-traffic area or exposed to frequent contact. The more hazardous the environment, the higher the rating you are likely to need.

Many indoor enclosures are used in areas with normal humidity levels that are rarely exposed to water droplets or splashes, and in this case a low second digit is likely to be appropriate. For outdoor enclosures, or those likely to be exposed to high-pressure jets or immersed in water, select a more robust enclosure and make sure appropriate glands are used to maintain the protection level.

We offer a broad range of enclosures for a wide variety of uses, including watertight solutions for permanent submersion up to fifteen metres. All our enclosure ratings are certified by our in-house testing laboratory in accordance with VDE standards.