What is an IP rating?
IP stands for “Ingress Protection” and measures how well a device is protected from both solid objects and liquids. An IP rating may look something like this:
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IPX0: The product offers no special protection from water.
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IPX1: Can resist water that drips vertically onto the product.
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IPX2: Can resist water that hits the product at a 15° angle or less.
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IPX3: Can take water sprays of up to 60°.
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IPX4: Is resistant to water splashes from any direction.
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IPX5: Can resist a sustained, low-pressure water jet spray.
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IPX6: Can resist high-pressure, heavy sprays of water.
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IPX6K: Can resist water jets of extremely high pressure. Rarely used.
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IPX7: Can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.
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IPX8: Can be submerged deeper than 1 meter. The exact depth is specified by the manufacturer.
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IPX9K: Resists high-pressure, high-temperature sprays at close range. A very special case that’s dictated by a separate standard. Rarely used.