A three-digit number (as specified in Australian Standards AS 1939 and EN60529) is used to provide an IP (Ingress Protection) Rating to a piece of electronic equipment or to an enclosure for electronic equipment.

The three digits represent three different forms of environmental influence:

The first digit represents protection against ingress of solid objects.

The second digit represents protection against ingress of liquids.

The third digit represents protection against mechanical impact damage.

The third digit is often omitted, resulting in a 2-digit IP Rating covering ingress against solid objects and liquids only. As an example, our REGO20 security camera is rated at IP65 (totally protected against dust ingress and withstands low pressure water jets from any direction).

The larger the value of each digit, the greater the protection from the corresponding environmental influence. As an example, a product rated as IP573 would be better protected against environmental factors than another similar product that was only rated as IP432.

First Digit – Protection against ingress of solids

0 No protection

1 Protected against solid objects over 50mm

2 Protected against solid objects over 12mm

3 Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm etc.

4 Protected against solid objects over 1.0mm
5 Limited protection against dust ingress (no harmful deposit)

6 Complete protection against dust ingress

Second Digit – Protection against ingress of liquids

0 No protection

1 Protected against vertically falling drops of water

2 Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from vertical

3 Protected against direct sprays of water up to 60° from vertical

4 Protected against water sprayed from any direction s permitted

5 Protected against low pressure water jets from any direction

6 Protected against high pressure water jets from any direction

7 Protected against immersion between 15cm and 1 metre

8 Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure

Third Digit – Protection against mechanical impact damage

0 No protection

1 Protected against 0.225 joule impact

2 Protected against 0.375 joule impact

3 Protected against 0.5 joule impact

5 Protected against 2.0 joule impact

7 Protected against 6.0 joule impact

9 Protected against 20 joule impact