IP Testing | Ingress Protection testing

Nemko’s ingress protection tests include water spraying, splashing, flushing, submerging and condensation. We also perform dust ingress tests in dust circulation chambers, and ingress tests using foreign objects and probes.

Our accredited ingress protection tests include spraying, splashing and flushing, submerging in water tanks and condensation via dripping. We also provide a full range of dust ingress tests in dust circulation chambers and ingress tests with various foreign objects and standardized access probes.

We can perform fully automated and accredited tests for the whole range of IP testing classifications according to IEC 60529.

Which standards are the ingress protection tests according to?

Relevant test in the IEC 60068-series
Relevant test in the IEC 60721-series
Relevant test in the ETSI 300 019 environmental standards and classification of parameters for equipment functionality in different environments.

Standards:

IEC 60529
IEC 60068-2-18
IEC 60068-2-68
IEC 60721-3-x

What types of tests for ingress of water (IP X1 to IP X8) are offered?

Dripping (vertical rain)
Spraying
Splashing
Jetting
Powerful jetting
Immersion

What types of tests for ingress of foreign solid objects (IP1X to IP 6X) are offered?

ø 50 mm Rigid Sphere
ø 12.5 mm Finger Probe and solid foreign objects
ø 2.5 mm Tool Probe and solid foreign objects
ø 1.0 mm Wire Probe and solid foreign objects
Dust Protected
Dust Tight

What are IP codes?

EN 60529 outlines an international classification system for the sealing effectiveness of enclosures for electrical equipment against the intrusion into the equipment from foreign objects (i.e. hands, fingers, tools, dust) and water. This classification system utilizes the letters “IP” (“Ingress Protection”) followed by two or three digits.

A third character is sometimes used to further specify the classification
An "x" is used to replace one of the digits if there is only one class of protection; i.e. IPX4 which addresses water resistance only

First IP Numeral

The first digit of the IP code indicates the degree that people are protected against contact with electrical or moving parts (other than smooth rotating shafts, etc.) and the degree to which the equipment is protected against solid foreign bodies intruding into an enclosure.

0 No special protection

1 Protection from a large part of the body such as a hand (but no protection from deliberate access); from solid objects greater than 50mm in diameter

2 Protection against fingers and other objects not greater than 80mm in length or 12mm in diameter

3 Protection from entry by tools or solid foreign objects with a diameter or thickness of 2.5mm.

4 Protection from entry by wires or solid foreign objects with a diameter or thickness of 1.0mm

5 Protection from dust that would interfere with the operation of the equipment

6 Dust tight

Second IP Numeral

The second digit indicates the degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against the harmful entry of water (e.g. dripping, spraying, submersion, etc.).

0 No special protection

1 Protection from vertically dripping water

2 Protection from vertically 15º dripping water

3 Protection from sprayed water vertically 120º

4 Protection from sprayed water 360º

5 Protection from sprayed water projected from hose with nozzle

6 Protection against heavy seas, or powerful jets of water

7 Protection against immersion

8 Protection against complete, continuous submersion in water*

* Submersion depth and time must be specified by the end-user. The requirement must be deeper than IP67

Additional characters in the IP code

The standard defines additional letters that can be appended to classify only the level of protection against access to hazardous parts by persons:

A - Back of hand

B - Finger

C - Tool

D - Wire

Further letters can be appended to provide additional information related to the protection of the device:

H - High voltage device

M - Device moving during water test

S - Device standing still during water test

W - Weather conditions

Contact us for Ingress protection (IP) testing