An IP rating is "a system for classifying the degrees of protection provided by enclosures of electrical equipment for two conditions: 1) the protection of persons against access to hazardous parts and protection of equipment against the ingress of solid foreign objects and 2) the ingress of water. The degree of protection against these two conditions is designated by an IP Code." (ANSI/IEC 60529 — NEMA.org)
An IP rating is listed as "IP" followed by two numbers that indicate the level of protection a product has from solid foreign objects (first number) and water (second number) — for example, IP67. The charts below indicate the level of protection offered by each rating.
Solids
IP ratings begin at 0, meaning no protection. Levels 1–4 refer to protection against body parts, tools, wires, screws, and other solid objects. MTX products begin at level 5. For more information on levels 0–4, reference NEMA.org.
| Level | Protection Against | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Dust Protected | Dust intrusion is not entirely prevented but the amount of dust will not interfere with operation of the product. |
| 6 | Dust Tight | No dust intrusion. Complete protection. |
Water
IP ratings begin at 0, meaning no protection. Levels 1–4 refer to water dripping or splashing. MTX products begin at level 5, referring to water jets. For more information on levels 0–4, reference NEMA.org.
| Level | Protection Against | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Water Jets | Protected against water sprayed from a nozzle with a diameter of 6.3mm from any direction with no damaging effect. |
| 6 | Powerful Water Jets | Protected against water sprayed from a nozzle with a diameter of 12.5mm from any direction with no damaging effect. |
| 7 | Immersion up to 1 Meter | Protected against water intrusion when immersed up to 1 meter under defined pressure and time conditions. |
| 8 | Immersion Beyond 1 Meter | Protected against water intrusion when continuously immersed up to a defined pressure. Water may enter but will not affect product operation. |
