Technical Paper

IEC/IP Coding system

What is the IEC? The IEC is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of the IEC is to promote international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and in addition to other activities, the IEC publishes International Standards. Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. The IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
(Taken from: ULs Standards Department Web Site)

The Commissions objectives are: meet the requirements of global market efficiency ensure primacy and maximum world-wide use of its standards and conformity assessment schemes assess and improve the quality of products and services covered by its standards establish the conditions for the interoperability of complex systems increase the efficiency of industrial processes contribute to the improvement of human health and safety contribute to the protection of the environment
(From the IECs Mission Statement)

Where is the IEC/IP coding defined? The following is brief overview of the coding system described in the IEC publication 529 and the DIN standard number 40050. Both standards code the classification of degrees of protection provided by enclosures. The complete definition of the IEC standard you can find in the mentioned documents. The meaning of the IP code The two code letters, IP (international protection) followed by the two reference numbers, indicates the level of environmental protection. The first

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reference number indicates the protection level as to the penetration of solid objects. The second reference number indicates the protection level, if any, against water entry. Example IP
Code letters First reference number (see table) Second reference number (see table)

As you can see in the table, the first letter in the example indicates a protection against solid objects greater than 1mm. The second letter indicates a protection against splashing water from any direction. Table of reference numbers
Degrees of Protection Against Solid Objects Description Non-protected Protected against solid foreign objects of 50mm diameter and greater Protected against solid foreign objects of 12.5mm diameter and greater Protected against solid foreign objects of 2.5mm diameter and greater Protected against solid foreign objects of 1.0mm diameter and greater Rittal Corporation One Rittal Place Springfield, Ohio 45504 Product information: 1-800-477-4000 Technical Hotline: 1-800-637-4425 Email: Rittal@rittal-corp.com Website: www.rittal-corp.com Definition First reference number 0 1

The object probe, sphere of 50mm diameter shall not fully penetrate The object probe, sphere of 12.5mm diameter shall not fully penetrate The object probe, sphere of 2.5mm diameter shall not penetrate at all The object probe, sphere of 1.0mm diameter shall not penetrate Ingress of dust is not totally prevented, but dust shall not penetrate in a quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the apparatus or to impair safety No ingress of dust

Dust protected

Dust tight

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Degrees of Protection Against Water Description
No protection Protected against vertically falling water drops Protected against vertically falling water drops when enclosure tilted up to 15 degrees Protected against spraying water Protected against splashing water Protected against water jets

Definition
Vertically falling water drops shall have no harmful effects Vertically falling water drops shall have no harmful effects when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15 degrees on either side of the vertical axis Water sprayed at an angle up to 60 degreed on either side of the vertical axis shall have no harmful effects Water splashed against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects Water projected in jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects Water projected in powerful water jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects Ingress of water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the enclosure is continuously immersed in water under standardized conditions of pressure and time Ingress of water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the enclosure is continuously immersed in water under conditions which shall be agreed between manufacturer and user but which are more severe than for numeral 7

Second reference number

0 1

3 4 5

Protected against powerful water jets

Protected against the effects of temporary immersion in water

Protected against the effects of continuous immersion in water

Comparison of different standards with IEC The next table shows you how to convert the NEMA Rating into IEC Classification. However, the table cannot be used to convert IEC Classifications to NEMA Ratings. A = A shaded block in the A column indicates that the NEMA Enclosure Type exceeds the requirements for the respective IEC 60529 IP First Character Designation. The IP First Character Designation is the protection against access to hazardous parts and solid foreign objects. B = A shaded block in the B column indicates that the NEMA Enclosure Type exceeds the requirements for the respective IEC 60529 IP Second Character Designation. The IP Second Character Designation is the protection against the ingress of water.
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Conversion of NEMA Enclosure Type Rating to IEC 60529 Enclosure Classification Designations (IP)
IP First Character 1 IP0_ IP1_ IP2_ IP3_ IP4_ IP5_ IP6_ 2 3, 3x, 3S, 3SX NEMA Enclosure Type 3R, 3RX 4, 4X 5 6 6P 12, 12K, 13 IP_0 IP_1 IP_2 IP_3 IP_4 IP_5 IP_6 IP_7 IP_8 A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B IP Second Character

EXAMPLE OF TABLE USE

An IEC IP 45 Enclosure Rating is specified. What NEMA Type Enclosures meet and exceed the IP 45 rating? Referencing the first character, 4, in the IP rating and the row designated IP4_ in the leftmost column in the table; the blocks in Column A for NEMA Types 3, 3X, 3S, 3SX, 4, 4X, 5, 6, 6P, 12, 12K and 13 are shaded. These NEMA ratings meet and exceed the IEC protection requirements against access to hazardous parts and solid foreign objects. Referencing the second character, 5, in the IP rating and the row designated IP_5 in the rightmost column in the table; the blocks in Column B for NEMA Types 3, 3X, 3S, 3SX, 4, 4X, 6 and 6P are shaded. These NEMA ratings meet and exceed the IEC requirements for protection against the ingress of water. The absence of shading in Column B beneath the NEMA Enclosure Type 5 indicates that Type 5 does not meet the IP 45 protection requirements against the ingress of water. Likewise the absence of shading in Column B for NEMA Type 12, 12K and 13 enclosures indicates that these enclosures do not meet the IP 45 requirements for protection against the ingress of water. Only Types 3, 3X, 3S, 3SX, 4, 4X, 6 and 6P have both Column A in the IP4_ row and Column B in the IP_5 row shaded and could be used in an IP45 application. The NEMA Enclosure Type 3 not only meets the IP 45 Enclosure Rating, but also exceeds the IEC requirements because the NEMA Type requires an outdoor corrosion test; a gasket-aging test; a dust test; an external icing test; and no water penetration in the rain test. Slight differences exist between the IEC and NEMA test methods, but the IEC rating permits the penetration of water if it does not deposit on insulation parts, or reach live parts. The IEC rating does not require a corrosion test; gasket-aging test; dust test or external icing test. Because the NEMA ratings include additional test requirements, this table cannot be used to select IP Designations for NEMA rated enclosure specifications. IEC 60529 specifies that an enclosure shall only be designated with a stated degree of protection indicated by the first characteristic numeral if it also complies with all lower degrees of protection. Furthermore IEC 60529 states that an enclosure shall only be designated with a degree of protection indicated by the second characteristic numeral if it also complies with all lower degrees of protection up to and including the second characteristic numeral 6. An enclosure designated with a second characteristic numeral 7 or 8 only is considered unsuitable for exposure to water jets (designated by second characteristic numeral 5 or 6) and need not comply with requirements for numeral 5 or 6 unless it is dual coded. Since the IEC protection requirements become more stringent with increasing IP character value up through 6, once a NEMA Type rating meets the requirements for an IP designation up through 6, it will also meet the requirements for all lower IP designations. This is apparent from the shaded areas shown in the table.

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