Out of the many buzzwords of the tech world – all confusing nonetheless – the IPX ratings, that can tell you what they’re for – which is for rating “waterproofing: strength – can seem less than intuitive.
Beware
IPX ratings do not define “waterproofing”. They only stand for “water resistance“. This means the items with IPX ratings can only be put up against water & moisture to a certain degree marked by the number at the end.
In this blog today you’ll be guided through the total 9 IPX rating levels, along with some trivia about the the whole system of IPX water resistance ratings.
1. IPX-0
There is no water resistance at all.
2. IPX-1
Water resistance against condensation and water droplets falling vertically.
3. IPX-2
Water resistance against sprayed water when tilted up to 15 degrees vertically.
4. IPX-3
Water resistance against sprayed water when tilted up to 30 degrees vertically.
5. IPX-4
Water resistance against splashing water from any angle.
6. IPX-5
Water resistance against low-pressure water stream from any angle.
7. IPX-6
Water resistance against high-pressure water stream from any angle.
8. IPX-7
Water resistance against being immersed underwater for up to 30 minutes & above the maximum depth of 1 meter.
9. IPX-8
Water resistance against sustained water submersion in underwater conditions.
Conclusion
These were all the 9 IPX ratings that tell us how much an item can fight against water & moisture. So, now you know what to make of those confusing tags on your tech gear and/or other appliances & items.
FAQ
IPX means Ingress Protection. It is a markup for how strong or weak the protection of an item is against water.
If the ingress protection rating has an ‘X’, there is no protection against solids.
IP69 is the highest level of protection against both solids (dust) & liquids.
Resistance against solids (dust, etc.) is rated from 0 – 6 on the first digit after the letter I & P; & Resistance against liquids (water, moisture, etc.) is rated from 0 – 8.
So, the lowest IP rating is IPXX or IP00