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Have you ever encountered wording such as IP55 or IPX8 in reading about the features of an electronic product, such as a smartphone, speaker, or storage device? They may seem like an algebraic equation missing half the equation. However, they have real-life meaning and contain valuable details about the device.
They are called ingress protection (IP for short) ratings, showing the product’s ability to resist the intrusion of dust and liquids. IP ratings came about in 1976 due to electric and electronic equipment’s irritating tendency to deteriorate or malfunction when water or dust got into them. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a global non-profit membership organization consisting of 170 countries, developed the ratings, which are still widely used throughout the industry.
In addition to rating the potential for dust and liquid intrusion, the standard (IEC 60529) also rates how easy it is for users to access the potentially hazardous parts within the device enclosure. Electrical equipment with a maximum voltage of 72.5 kV can be rated. The IEC has determined tests to be performed by manufacturers that will verify whether a device’s enclosure meets the IP requirements.
The IEC’s goal was to create a single document bringing together all requirements regarding the protection of device enclosures. Before the IEC, separate standards were used for motors and low-voltage switchgear, and control gear.
Since the enormous growth in the number of digital products (smartphones, desktops, laptops, tablets, portable speakers, etc.) and their popularity with both businesses and the public, IP ratings are an industry standard for determining if a device is water-resistant, waterproof, and more. More than marketing hype, IP ratings provide users with concrete information on their device’s capabilities.
To save you from having to find your phone’s owner’s manual, we’ll share some general information with you. Most smartphones today are rated either IP67 or IP68. Both are dust-tight, offering complete protection against contact with dust. The former is protected against the effects of temporary immersion in about 36” of water for 30 minutes; the latter is protected against the effects of continuous immersion up to a depth specified by the manufacturer. So how do you interpret the rating? All begin with the initials IP. According to the IEC, the first numeral refers to the protection against solid objects (for example, dust) and is rated on a scale from 0 (no protection) to 6 (no ingress of dust). The second numeral rates the enclosure’s protection against liquids (for example, water) and uses a scale from 0 (no protection) to 9 (high-pressure/hot-temperature water jets from different angles).
So how do you interpret the rating? All begin with the initials IP. According to the IEC, the first numeral refers to the protection against solid objects (for example, dust) and is rated on a scale from 0 (no protection) to 6 (no ingress of dust). The second numeral rates the enclosure’s protection against liquids (for example, water) and uses a scale from 0 (no protection) to 9 (high-pressure/hot-temperature water jets from different angles).
First Digit (solid foreign objects)
0 - No protection.
1 - Protected against solid foreign objects greater than 50mm in diameter.
2 - Protected against solid foreign objects greater than 12.5mm in diameter.
3 - Protected against solid foreign objects greater than 2.5mm in diameter.
4 - Protected against solid foreign objects greater than 1mm in diameter.
5 - Dust protected.
6 - Dust tight.
Second Digit (water protection)
0 - No protection
1 - Protected against vertically falling water drops
2 - Protected against vertically falling water drops when the enclosure tilts up to 15°.
3 - Protected against spraying water at an angle up to 60°.
4 - Protected against splashing water.
5 - Protected against low-pressure water jets
6 - Protected against powerful water jets.
7 - Protected against the effects of temporary immersion in about 36” of water for 30 minutes.
8 - Protected against the effects of continuous immersion up to a depth specified by the
9 - Protected against high-pressure/hot-temperature water jets from different angles.
Many of Kingston’s products have IP ratings. These include our Encrypted USB flash drives (S1000, D500S ) and the XS2000 External SSD.
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