Electric and electronic equipment deteriorate or malfunction when water or dust enters the device(!)
The IEC has developed the ingress protection (IP) ratings, which grade the resistance of an enclosure against the intrusion of dust or liquids. The ratings are widely used throughout industry.
The IP Code Is Composed of Two Numerals:
The first numeral refers to the protection against solid objects and is rated on a scale from o (no protection) to 6 (no ingress of dust).
The second numeral rates the enclosure’s protection against liquids and uses a scale from o (no protection) to 9 (high-pressure hot water from different angles).
For more information please visit IEC IP Ratings