Overview
An Ingress Protection (IP) rating tells a buyer, in two digits, how well an enclosure keeps out dust and water. It is defined in IEC 60529, adopted in India as IS/IEC 60529. For street lights, outdoor switchgear, meters, pumps, chargers and many consumer products, the IP rating is part of the product specification, the tender and the safety case.
A rating is only meaningful when it has been tested. Aaditech helps manufacturers choose the right rating for the application, arranges testing at accredited laboratories and reviews the results so the claim on the label is one you can defend.
Note: Aaditech is not a NABL-accredited laboratory. IP testing is carried out by independent accredited laboratories; we provide guidance, coordination and report review.
What we test
First digit: solid objects and dust
| Digit | Protection |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | Against solid objects from 50 mm down to 1 mm |
| 5 | Dust-protected: some dust may enter, but not enough to interfere with operation |
| 6 | Dust-tight: no ingress of dust |
Second digit: water
| Digit | Protection |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Vertically falling drops; drops with the enclosure tilted up to 15° |
| 3–4 | Spraying water; splashing water from any direction |
| 5 | Water jets from a nozzle |
| 6 | Powerful water jets |
| 7 | Temporary immersion |
| 8 | Continuous immersion, under conditions agreed with the manufacturer and more severe than 7 |
| 9 | High-pressure, high-temperature water jets |
Additional letters can indicate protection of persons against access to hazardous parts, or supplementary information about the test conditions.
Typical products we support include LED luminaires and street lights, junction boxes and enclosures, outdoor switchgear and distribution boxes, EV chargers, energy meters, CCTV cameras, pumps and motors, and portable electronics.
Who it’s for
- Lighting manufacturers supplying outdoor, industrial or street lighting.
- Electrical equipment makers whose tender or customer specifications call for IP54, IP65 or higher.
- Electronics brands making water-resistance claims for consumer products.
- Buyers wanting independent verification of a supplier’s IP claim.
Our process
- Application review. We look at where the product will be used and the specification it must meet, and confirm the rating to target.
- Design check. We review gaskets, cable entries, vents and fasteners, which are the usual failure points, before samples go to the lab.
- Lab coordination. We select a laboratory accredited for the relevant IEC 60529 tests and agree the test conditions, including any operating or pre-conditioning requirements in the product standard.
- Testing. The lab carries out the dust and water tests, followed by the inspection and any electrical checks the product standard requires.
- Report review. We check that the report states the correct code, test conditions and acceptance criteria.
- Next steps. If the sample fails, we help trace the ingress path and plan the design fix and retest.
Standards & references
- IEC 60529 (and IS/IEC 60529): degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP code).
- Product standards that call up IEC 60529 and set the pass criteria, for example luminaire standards in the IEC 60598 series.
- ISO 20653 for road vehicles, which uses a similar code including the ‘K’ variants, where automotive customers ask for it.
- ISO/IEC 17025: the accreditation standard for the laboratories we use.
Why Aaditech
- Electrical expertise. Our CEO, Mr B.K. Jain, headed the BIS electrical laboratory and understands both the test method and its practical failure modes.
- Right rating, not the highest. We help you specify the rating your application actually needs, which can save cost on enclosures and testing.
- Linked testing. For luminaires, IP testing can be planned together with LM-79, safety and BIS testing to reduce sample sets and lead time.
- Independent advice. We are not tied to a single laboratory.
