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IEC Enclosures

IEC Enclosures

Degree of Protection

IEC Publication 60259 describes standard Degrees of Protection that enclosures of a product are designed to provide when properly installed.

Summary

The publication defines degrees of protection with respect to:


It does not define:


Note: The IEC test requirements for Degrees of Protection against liquid ingress refer only to water. Those products in this catalog, which have a high degree of protection against ingress of liquid, in most cases include Nitrile seals. These have good resistance to a wide range of oils, coolants and cutting fluids. However, some of the available lubricants, hydraulic fluids and solvents can cause severe deterioration of Nitrile and other polymers. Some of the products listed are available with seals of Viton™ or other materials for improved resistance to such liquids. For specific advice on this subject refer to your local Rockwell Automation sales office.

IEC Enclosure Classification

The degree of protection is indicated by two letters (IP) and two numerals. International Standard IEC 529 contains descriptions and associated test requirements that define the degree of protection each numeral specifies. The table on this page indicates the general degree of protection—refer to the Abridged Descriptions of IEC Enclosure Test Requirements starting below. For complete test requirements refer to IEC 60259.

Abridged Descriptions of IEC Enclosure Test Requirements

(Refer to IEC 60259 for complete test specifications—e.g., test apparatus configuration; tolerances; etc. (Metric Conversions))

Tests for Protection Against Access to Hazardous Parts (first characteristic numeral)

The first characteristic numeral of the IP number indicates compliance with the following tests for the degree of protection against access to hazardous parts. It also indicates compliance with tests as shown in the next section for the degree of protection against solid foreign objects.

The protection against access to hazardous parts is satisfactory if adequate clearance is kept between the specified access probe and hazardous parts. For voltage less than 1000V AC and 1500V DC, the access probe must not touch the hazardous live parts. For voltage exceeding 1000V AC and 1500V DC, the equipment must be capable of withstanding specified dielectric tests with the access probe in the most unfavorable position.

First Numeral¬  Second Numeral¬ 
Protection of persons against access to hazardous parts and protection against penetration of solid foreign objects. Protection against ingress of water under test conditions specified in IEC 60259.
0 Non-protected 0 Non-protected
1 Back of hand; objects greater than 50 mm in diameter 2 Vertically falling drops of water
3 Finger; objects greater than 12.5 mm in diameter 4 Vertically falling drops of water with enclosure tilted 15°
5 Tools or objects greater than 2.5 mm in diameter 6 Spraying water
7 Tools or objects greater than 1.0 mm in diameter 8 Splashing water
9 Dust-protected (dust may enter during specified test but must not interfere with operation of the equipment or impair safety) 10 Water jets
11 Dusttight (no dust observable inside enclosure at end of test) 12 Powerful water jets
13 Temporary submersion
14 Continuous submersion
Example: IP41 describes an enclosure that is designed to protect against the entry of tools or objects greater than 1 mm in diameter and to protect against vertically dripping water under specified test conditions.
Note: All first numerals and second numerals up to and including characteristic numeral 6, imply compliance also with the requirements for all lower characteristic numerals in their respective series (first or second). Second numerals 7 and 8 do not imply suitability for exposure to water jets (second characteristic numeral 5 or 6) unless dual coded; e.g., IP_5/ IP_7.
 
¬ The IEC standard permits use of certain supplementary letters with the characteristic numerals. If such letters are used, refer to IEC 60259 for the explanation.

IP0_ —No test required.

IP1_—A rigid sphere 50 mm in diameter shall not completely pass through any opening. Force = 50 N.

IP2_—A jointed test finger 80 mm long and 12 mm in diameter may penetrate to its 80 mm length, but shall have adequate clearance as specified above, from hazardous live parts, in every possible position of the test finger as both joints are bent through an angle up to 90°. Force = 10 N.

IP3_—A test rod 2.5 mm in diameter shall not penetrate and adequate clearance shall be kept from hazardous live parts (as specified in table above). Force = 3 N.

IP4_—A test wire 1 mm in diameter shall not penetrate and adequate clearance shall be kept from hazardous live parts (as specified in table above). Force = 1 N.

IP5_ —A test wire 1 mm in diameter shall not penetrate and adequate clearance shall be kept from hazardous live parts (as specified in table above). Force = 1 N.

IP6_—A test wire 1 mm in diameter shall not penetrate and adequate clearance shall be kept from hazardous live parts (as specified in the table above). Force = 1 N.

Tests for Protection Against Solid Foreign Objects (first characteristic numeral)

For first numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 the protection against solid foreign objects is satisfactory if the full diameter of the specified probe does not pass through any opening. Note that for first numerals 3 and 4 the probes are intended to simulate foreign objects which may be spherical. Where shape of the entry path leaves any doubt about ingress or a spherical object capable of motion, it may be necessary to examine drawings or to provide special access for the object probe. For first numerals 5 and 6 see test descriptions below for acceptance criteria.

IP0_—No test required.

IP1_—The full diameter of a rigid sphere 50 mm in diameter must not pass through any opening at a test force of 50 N.

IP2_—The full diameter of a rigid sphere 12.5 mm in diameter must not pass through any opening at a test force of 30 N.

IP3_—A rigid steel rod 2.5 mm in diameter must not pass through any opening at a test force of 3 N.

IP4_—A rigid steel wire 1 mm in diameter must not pass through any opening at a test force of 1 N.

IP5_—The test specimen is supported inside a specified dust chamber where talcum powder, able to pass through a square-meshed sieve with wire diameter 50 mm and width between wires 75 mm, is kept in suspension.

Enclosures for equipment subject to thermal cycling effects (category 1) are vacuum pumped to a reduced internal pressure relative to the surrounding atmosphere: maximum depression = 2 kPa; maximum extraction rate = 60 volumes per hour. If extraction rate of 40 to 60 volumes/hr. is obtained, test is continued until 80 volumes have been drawn through or 8 hr. has elapsed. If extraction rate is less than 40 volumes/hr. at 20 kPa depression, test time = 8 hr.

Enclosures for equipment not subject to thermal cycling effects and designated category 2 in the relevant product standard are tested for 8 hr. without vacuum pumping.

Protection is satisfactory if talcum powder has not accumulated in a quantity or location such that, as with any other kind of dust, it could interfere with the correct operation of the equipment or impair safety; and no dust has been deposited where it could lead to tracking along creepage distances.

IP6_—All enclosures are tested as category 1, as specified above for IP5_. The protection is satisfactory if no deposit of dust is observable inside the enclosure at the end of the test.

Tests for Protection Against Water (second characteristic numeral)

The second characteristic numeral of the IP number indicates compliance with the following tests for the degree of protection against water. For numerals 1 through 7, the protection is satisfactory if any water that has entered does not interfere with satisfactory operation, does not reach live parts not designed to operate when wet, and does not accumulate near a cable entry or enter the cable. For second numeral 8 the protection is satisfactory if no water has entered the enclosure.

IP_0—No test required.

IP_1—Water is dripped onto the enclosure from a "drip box" having spouts spaced on a 20 mm square pattern, at a "rainfall" rate of 1 mm/min. The enclosure is placed in its normal operating position under the drip box. Test time = 10 min.

IP_2—Water is dripped onto the enclosure from a "drip box" having spouts spaced on a 20 mm square pattern, at a "rainfall" rate of 3 mm/min. The enclosure is placed in 4 fixed positions tilted 15° from its normal operating position, under the drip box. Test time = 2.5 min. for each position of tilt.

IP_3—Water is sprayed onto all sides of the enclosure over an arc of 60° from vertical, using an oscillating tube device with spray holes 50 mm apart (or a hand-held nozzle for larger enclosures). Flow rate, oscillating tube device = 0.07 l/min. per hole x number of holes; for hand-held nozzle = 10 l/min. Test time, oscillating tube = 10 min.; for hand-held nozzle = 1 min./m2 of enclosure surface area, 5 min. minimum.

IP_4—Same as test for IP_3 except spray covers an arc of 180° from vertical.

IP_5—Enclosure is sprayed from all practicable directions with a stream of water at 12.5 l/min. from a 6.3 mm nozzle from a distance of 2.5 to 3 m. Test time = 1 min./m2 of enclosure surface area to be sprayed, 3 min. minimum.

IP_6—Enclosure is sprayed from all practicable directions with a stream of water at 100 l/min. from a 12.5 mm nozzle from a distance of 2.5 to 3 m. Test time = 1 min./m2 of enclosure surface area to be sprayed, 3 min. minimum.

IP_7—Enclosure is immersed in water in its service position for 30 min. Lowest point of enclosures less than 850 mm tall = 1000 mm below surface of water. Highest point of enclosures more than 850 mm tall = 150 mm below surface of water.

IP_8—Test conditions are subject to agreement between manufacturer and user, but shall be at least as severe as those for IP_7.