Waterproof Locking Devices- IP Information
High product specifications are being continually demanded within the electrical switchgear industry. A range of products have been produced to meet IP65 and IP55 standards and an extract from the B.S.I. Booklet BS EN 60947-1: 1992 is given below.
Degrees Of Protection Of Enclosures For Low-Voltage Switches And Control Gear
Markings used to indicate the degree of protection consist of the letters ‘IP’, followed by two characteristic numerals signifying respectively conformity to the codes described in Clauses 3 and 4.
1. The first characteristic numeral designates the degree of protection of persons against contact with live or moving parts inside the enclosure and of equipment against ingress of solid foreign bodies.
| First characteristic numeral |
Degree of protection |
|---|---|
| 0 | No special protection |
| 1 | Protection from a large part of the body such as a hand (but no protection from deliberate access); from solid objects greater than 50mm in diameter. |
| 2 | Protection against fingers or other object not greater than 80mm in length and 12mm in diameter. |
| 3 | Protection from entry by tools, wires, etc., with a diameter of thickness greater than 1.0mm. |
| 4 | Protection from entry by solid objects with a diameter or thickness greater than 1.0mm |
| 5 | Protection from the amount of dust that would interfere with the operation of the equipment. |
| 6 | Dust tight. |
2. The second characteristic numeral designated the degree of protection against ingress of liquid.
| Second characteristic numeral | Degree of protection |
|---|---|
| 0 | No special protection |
| 1 | Protection from dripping water. |
| 2 | Protection from vertically dripping water. |
| 3 | Protection from sprayed water. |
| 4 | Protection from splashed water. |
| 5 | Protection from water projected from a nozzle |
| 6 | Protection against heavy seas, or powerful jets of water. |
| 7 | Protection against immersion. |
| 8 | Protection against complete, continuous submersion in water. |
| [CONDITIONS: Test duration 3 minutes, water volume 100 l/min, pressure 100 kPa at distance of 3m] |
