What is an IP Rating?
“IP Ratings” are given to some lighting products, such as LED flex tape, to provide information on how protected they are against the intrusion of moisture and foreign particles. The letters “IP” stand for “Ingress Protection”.
What is an IP Rating good for?
When you know the IP Rating of a light fixture you can determine if it is suitable for your given application, especially if your installation will involve water, dust, or outdoor use.
The chart below helps interpret the level of protection in a numerical IP rating.
| IP (Ingress Protection) Table – Reference Only | ||
|---|---|---|
| IP # | First Digit: Ingress of solid objects | Second digit: Ingress of liquids |
| 0 | No Protection | No Protection |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects over 50mm (aprox. 2″ – hands or large tools) | Protected against vertically falling drops of water or condensation |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects over 12.5mm (aprox 0.5″ – hands or large tools) | Protected against vertically falling drops of water when tilted at an angle of 15° from normal position |
| 3 | Protected against objects over 2.5mm (aprox. 0.1″ – wires or small tools) | Protected against sprays of water from any direction |
| 4 | Protected against objects over 1.0mm (aprox. 0.04″ – wires, slender screws, ants) | Protected against splash of water from any direction |
| 5 | Limited dust protection. Dust may not enter in quantity large enough to interfere with operation of product | Protected against low pressure water jets from any direction. |
| 6 | Totally protected against dust ingress | Protected against high pressure water jets from any direction |
| 7 | N/A | Protected against short periods of immersion in water up to 1 meter ( aprox. 3′ 3″) depth |
| 8 | N/A | Protected against long periods of immersion in water over 1 meter ( aprox. 3′ 3″) depth |
Example: An IP67 rating indicates that the product is sealed in which it is totally protected against dust and high pressure water or total immersion up to 1 meter ( aprox. 3′ 3″) deep. Check industry standards when more details are required.
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