Do You Know the IP Rating Meaning of Two-Way Radio Accessories?

For some two-way radio users, their application scenarios demand the two-way radio with water resistance and dustproof feature, different working conditions, their demands of IP rating may be different, such as IP54, IP55, IP66, IP67, and so on, but do you know the IP rating meaning of your two-way radio and accessories? This blog will explain it to you.

What is IP rating?

IP (Ingress Protection or International Protection) rating is an international standard (IEC 60529) used to classify the degree of protection or sealing effectiveness in electrical enclosures against solids and liquids.

What do the numbers refer to in IP rating?

For example IP54, the first digit "5" refers to the degree of protection against solid foreign objects, the second digit "4" refers to the degree of protection against liquid intrusions. 

The first digit ranges from 0 to 6, the higher the number, the better protected the electrical device is from smaller particles, such as dust.

First digit: Solid particle protection levels

X - means there is no data available to specify a protection rating

0 - No protection against contact and ingress of objects

1 - Protection against solid particles greater than 50mm diameter

2 - Protection against solid particles greater than 12.5mm diameter

3 - Protection against solid particles greater than 2.5mm

4 - Protection against solid particles greater than 1.0mm

5 - Protection against dust particles, ingress of dust is not entirely prevented but dust must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety

6 - Dust-tight, no ingress of dust permitted

The second digit ranges from 0 to 9, the higher the number, the better protected the electrical device is from high-pressure water and water immersion.

Second digit: Liquid ingress protection levels

X - There is no data available to specify a protection rating

0 - No protection against ingress of water

1 - Protection against vertically falling drops of water

2 - Protection against vertically dripping water when tilted at an angle of15°

3 - Protection against spraying water at an angle < 60º from the vertical position

4 - Protection against splashing of water from any direction

5 - Protection against water jets projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) from any direction

6 - Protection against powerful water jets projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm (0.49 in)) from any direction

6K - Protection against powerful water jets with increased pressure projected in powerful jets (6.3 mm nozzle) from any direction

7 - Protection against immersion up to 1 meter, ingress of water when temporarily immersed

8 - Protection against immersion beyond 1 meter, ingress of water when continuously immersed

9K - Protection against powerful high-temperature water jets, protected against close-range high pressure, high-temperature spray downs

Note: First, when conducting an IP rating test, all water used is fresh water. Second, the product is not in operation during the IP level test. Third, the IP rating does not absolutely allow water to enter but requires that the water entering the product does not interfere with the normal operation and safety of the equipment. Compared with freshwater, seawater is more corrosive, and water may still enter the equipment under waterproof conditions, the two effects are superimposed, so it may damage electronic equipment.

Retevis Accessories supplies versatile IP rating two-way radio accessories, contact us to get the right one for your application.