What is the IP rating or IP code?
IP ratings are tricky to understand, even for the most tech-savvy buyer.
This short guide will tell you everything you need about certification and what each rating means!
The IP code is a system for rating the degree to which an item is protected from intrusion.
It is regulated by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) - an independent organization that sets international standards for electronics and electronic devices, such as phones, headphones, wireless speakers, etc.
There are six classes, with numbers indicating how well they protect against various things like dust or water immersion in electrical circuits - but what does it all mean?
Let's break down this jargon-filled phrase into its parts:
"IP" stands for ingress protection;
The first digit in the IP ratio - Is solids.
The first digit in an IP code indicates the level of protection for hazardous parts and foreign objects.
The higher the value, the greater is protection.
The second digit-Liquids.
The second digit in an IP rating shows the protection for equipment inside enclosures against harmful ingress such as water or other liquids.
The higher this number, the better the seal protecting the device.
And this is how the IP rating is formed.
The IP rating system determines how long a device can survive before it becomes damaged or destroyed by water, depending on its specific type - from 1 minute to 8 hours!
For example, an IP65 means that the device is dust protected and protected against jets of water. At the same time, IP68 shows that the device has complete dust protection and is water-tight against the effects of immersion in water for long periods without any damage!
The first digit in the above examples shows that both devices are dust-proof.
Let us be clear here: the rating assigned is for freshwater only.
This means it cannot be guaranteed if the device is immersed in other liquids such as beer, coffee, salt water, or soda.
I had no idea what ip rating meant before reading this. Also, that’s a great infographic that helps one understand this even better. I never actually took the time to study these numbers and see what they meant but now that I know I will surely look them up before getting my next pair of headphones. The more you know the more you realize how little you actually know.
I’m definitely feeling smarter now than I was before learning all this haha :)