Key consideration in LED outdoor lighting – IP code
Emily Jin
Introduction
In the outdoor use of electronic and electrical products, the equipment will have different levels of dustproof and waterproof requirements, such as outdoor use of street lamps, floodlights and so on. Lamps and lanterns shell protection level (IP code / dustproof and waterproof), is to ensure the normal operation of the equipment to ensure product safety and reliability protection of an important indicator. Then, in the selection and use of lamps, we should pay special attention to the protection level, which is very important for the correct product selection, and product installation and use!
What is an IP Rating / IP code?
IP is the abbreviation of INGRESS PROTECTION, IP rating is defined by the international standard EN60529 (British BSEN60529: 1992, European IEC 60509: 1989), the electrical and electronic products according to its dustproof and waterproof ability to be graded.
An IP Rating represents the level of protection provided by a device against the intrusion of solid objects and liquids. An IP Rating usually has two numbers: The first number represents the level of protection from solid materials and the second number represents the level of protection from liquids. The first digit of IP code of an IP Rating is a number that describes the object’s protection against solids, with 0 offering no protection and 6 offering the most protection.
The second digit of IP code of an IP rating is a number that describes the level of protection against liquids, with 0 offering no protection and 9K offering the most protection. We usually common protection level IP44, IP45, IP55, IP65, IP66, IP67, IP68 and so on.
Take IP68 as an example, the front number 6 represents the dustproof ability to reach level 6, which is completely dust-tight state, and the back number 8 represents the waterproof ability to reach level 8, which is greater than 1 meter water depth in the state of continuous diving equipment will not get into the water, the typical representative of IP68 is the daily use of mobile phones. ip44, ip45: mainly for indoor and outdoor use of electrical cabinets, control cabinets, distribution boxes, and some other products requiring dustproof and waterproof.
IP55, IP65, IP66: mainly applicable to the high dustproof requirements and can prevent the impact of large water flow products, such as flow meters, detectors, etc. IP67, IP68: mainly applicable to such as mobile phones, cameras, precision instrumentation, these products require high dustproof and waterproof ability.
IP Code Configuration
| IP code | IP | 6 | 5 | A | H |
| Code letters (international protection) | The first digit of IP code | The second digit of IP code | Additional letters | supplementary letters |
Note:
1.The first digit of IP code indicates the level of dustproof of the appliance to prevent the intrusion of foreign objects, divided into 0-6 levels
2.The second digit of IP code indicates the waterproof level of the equipment, which is divided into 0-9 levels.
3.The larger the number, the higher the level of protection. For example: IP68 means class 6 dustproof, 8 means class 8 waterproof.
Additional letters and supplementary letters can be omitted without substitution
First digit of IP code: solid particle protection
The table below, briefly indicates the IP protection class standards. The first digit of IP code indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign objects.
| Level | Effective against | Description |
| 0 | -- | No protection against contact and ingress of objects |
| 1 | >50 mm | Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part. |
| 2 | >12.55 mm | Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part. |
| 3 | >2.5 mm | Tools, thick wires, etc. |
| 4 | >1 mm | Most wires, slender screws, large ants, etc. |
| 5 | Dust protected | Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment. |
| 6 | Dust-tight | No ingress of dust, complete protection against contact (dust-tight). A vacuum must be applied. Test duration of up to 8 hours based on airflow. |
Second digit of IP code: liquid ingress protection
The second digit of IP code indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against harmful ingress of water.
| Level | Protection against | Effective against |
| 0 | None | -- |
| 1 | Dripping water | Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect on the specimen when mounted in an upright position onto a turntable and rotated at 1 RPM. |
| 2 | Dripping water when tilted at 15° | Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle of 15° from its normal position. |
| 3 | Spraying water | Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either: a) an oscillating fixture or b) A spray nozzle with a counterbalanced shield. |
| 4 | Splashing of water | Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either: a) an oscillating fixture or b) A spray nozzle with no shield. |
| 5 | Water jets | Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6 | Powerful water jets | Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6K | Powerful water jets with increased pressure | Water projected in powerful jets (6.3 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction, under elevated pressure, shall have no harmful effects. |
| 7 | Immersion, up to 1 m depth | Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion). |
| 8 | Immersion, 1 m or more depth | The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions that shall be specified by the manufacturer. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects. |
| 9K | Powerful high-temperature water jets | Protected against close-range high-pressure |
Additional letters
Further letters can be appended to provide additional information related to the protection of the device:
| Letter | Meaning |
| f | Oil resistant |
| H | High voltage device |
| M | Device monitoring during water test |
| S | Device standing still during water test |
| W | Weather conditions |
Why should I be concerned about the IP rating of a luminaire?
For lighting designers and contractors, when buying lamps and lanterns, in addition to focusing on the appearance of the lamps and lanterns, performance and other indicators, but also very concerned about the lamps and lanterns of the IP protection level, this is why?
If it is an outdoor luminaire, before purchasing the luminaire will consider the environment in which the luminaire is installed. For example, rain, snow, sand and other weather, dust impurities in the air and human factors caused by liquid and solid substances on the performance of the lamps and lanterns damage.
If it is an indoor lamps and lanterns, it is necessary to consider the shower and other humid environments, laboratories, petrochemicals and other special environments on the lamps and lanterns protection requirements to avoid moisture, dust impurities into the lamps and lanterns inside, thus causing damage to the lamps and lanterns components to leave a security risk. So for safety reasons, before buying lamps and lanterns must open eyes to see the IP protection level of lamps and lanterns.
IP waterproof and dustproof test inspection standard
There are many standards for IP code testing, such as IEC's 60529, NEMA's NEMA enclosure type, China's national standard GB/T 4208-2017, etc. We have listed some standards below.
| GB/T 4208-2017 | Enclosure protection class (IP code) |
| IEC/EN 60529 | Enclosure protection level (IP code) |
| GB/T 2423.38-2008 | Environmental testing of electrical and electronic products Part 2: Test methods Test R: Water test method and guidelines |
| GB/T 2423.37-2006 | Environmental testing of electrical and electronic products Part 2: Test methods Test L: Sand and dust test |
| DIN 40050-9 | Environmental Testing - Enclosure protection, corrosion |
Below are the ZGSM street lamps undergoing IP rating tests, with reference to the IEC 60529 standard.
Which ZGSM luminaires have passed the appropriate standards?
ZGSM as the world's leading LED luminaire manufacturer, has been in the lighting field for more than 19 years now. All of our LED luminaire including indoor and outdoor luminaire have been rigorously tested by our labs, and all of them are up to IP65, IP66 standard. This means that our luminaires have excellent dust and waterproof performance and can be used in harsh environments. These test results also prove the high quality and reliability of our products, allowing customers to choose our products with confidence.
We will continue to dedicate ourselves to providing high standard products to meet the needs of our customers!
Summary
In conclusion, the waterproof rating and IP standard of LED luminaires are very important. Correctly selecting the right waterproof rating can ensure that LED lamps and lanterns operate properly in various harsh industrial environments and provide long-lasting and efficient lighting effects. Therefore, before purchasing LED luminaires, please be sure to understand their waterproof rating and corresponding IP code, and choose according to the actual needs to ensure that our investment can bring satisfactory returns.
FAQ
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Author
Emily Jin
Sales Engineer
I am Emily Jin with 13 years of experience in LED lighting sales. I am familiar with LED lighting products and commit to providing customers with efficient lighting solutions. I am good at communicating with customers, understanding their needs and keeping up with industry trends to ensure they have the best service!
