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Understanding IP65, IP67, and IP68 Ratings

ip rating ingress protection water protection dust protection electronics

Ever wondered what those “IP” numbers mean on your electronics? They refer to Ingress Protection ratings, indicating how well the device is protected against solids (like dust) and liquids (like water). This article breaks down IP65, IP67, and IP68, common ratings you might encounter, especially for things like LED drivers.

Here’s a handy table explaining the digits in an IP rating:

1st Digit - Solid Object Protection2nd Digit - Water Protection
0 - Not protected0 - Not protected
1 - Protected against solid objects greater than 50 mm (e.g., accidental bump of hand)1 - Protected against vertically dripping water
2 - Protected against solid objects greater than 12.5 mm (e.g., fingers)2 - Protected against sprays of water when tilted up to 15 degrees vertically
3 - Protected against solid objects greater than 2.5 mm (e.g., tools and wires)3 - Protected against sprays of water when tilted up to 60 degrees vertically
4 - Protected against solid objects greater than 1mm (e.g., small wires)4 - Protected against water sprayed in all directions
5 - Protected against dust5 - Protected against low-pressure jetting water from all directions
6 - Dust tight (total protection)6 - Protected against powerfully jetting water from all directions
7 - Protected against temporary immersion in water (under 30 minutes)
8 - Protected against continuous immersion in water

IP Ratings Chart

IP67 meaning

Breaking Down IP65, IP67, and IP68

Let’s look at what each rating means in practice:

  • IP65: This means the product is dust-tight (totally protected against dust ingress) and protected against powerfully jetting water from all directions. Think of it as being able to withstand rain or a hose being sprayed at it, but not being submerged.

  • IP67: This means the product is dust-tight and protected against temporary immersion in water (typically up to 30 minutes). So, it can handle being dropped in a puddle, but it’s not designed for long-term submersion.

  • IP68: This means the product is dust-tight and protected against continuous immersion in water. The manufacturer will usually specify the depth and duration of immersion it can withstand. This is often used for underwater devices.

Key Differences: IP65 vs. IP67 vs. IP68

The main difference lies in the water protection level:

  • IP65: Resistant to water jets.
  • IP67: Resistant to temporary immersion.
  • IP68: Resistant to continuous immersion.