IP Code
"Is this product waterproof?" - It depends ...
To classify and rate the degree of protection provided against the intrusion of e.g. dust and water for e.g. spotlights or switches, etc. a standardised IP (for International Protection or Ingress Protection) code is published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The following tables show the codes for proteciton against the ingress of solid particles and water:
Solid Partlicle Protection
| Level | Object Size | Effective Against |
| 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, screws, 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. |
Liquid Ingress Protection
| Kennziffer | Effective Against |
| 0 | Not protected |
| 1 | Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect. |
| 2 | Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position. |
| 3 | Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect. |
| 4 | Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect. |
| 5 | Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6 | Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6K | Water projected in powerful jets (6.3 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction, under elevated pressure, shall have no harmful effects. |
| 7 | 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 | The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. 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. |
| 9K | Protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs. |
