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In industrial production, especially for electronic and electrical products that can be used outdoors, there are varying degrees of dust and water protection requirements for equipment. The enclosure protection level (IP code/dust and water protection) of automated instrument equipment is an important indicator to ensure the normal operation of the equipment and the safety and reliability of the product. Therefore, when selecting and using instrument products, it is particularly important to pay attention to the protection level of the instruments and meters, which is very important for the correct product selection, product installation, and use. Below, I will introduce the relevant knowledge of IP protection levels in detail.
What is the IP Protection Level ?
The sealing performance of the enclosure of electrical equipment, such as marking machines, is generally adopted by the international standard EN60529. This standard quantifies different categories of protection levels, mainly including protection against the intrusion of solid foreign objects into the enclosure (including tools, fingers, or dust, etc.) and protection against water (water entering the shell in the form of condensation, flushing, immersion, etc., causing harmful effects on the equipment).
The two digits following IP represent the protection strength of the equipment enclosure against solid foreign objects and water intrusion. The first digit indicates the dust protection and foreign object intrusion level of the electrical equipment, and the second digit indicates the moisture protection and water intrusion level. The higher the number, the higher the protection level.
For example: The protection level IP54, IP is the marking letter, the number 5 is the first marking digit, and 4 is the second marking digit. The first marking digit indicates the contact protection and foreign object protection level, and the second marking digit indicates the water protection level.
Detailed Classification of IP Water Protection Levels
The following water protection levels refer to international applicable standards such as IEC60529, GB4208, GB/T10485-2007, DIN40050-9, ISO20653, ISO16750, etc.:
1. Scope
Waterproof rating testing includes the second marking digit from 1 to 8, that is, the protection level code is IPX1 to IPX8.
2. Various levels of waterproof rating testing content
(1) IPX1
Method name: Vertical dripping test
Test equipment: Dripping test device;
Sample placement: Place the sample in the normal working position on a sample table rotating at 1r/min, with the distance from the top of the sample to the dripping mouth not exceeding 200mm.
Test conditions: Dripping rate is 10.5mm/min; Test duration: 10min.
(2) IPX2
Method name: Tilted 15° dripping test
Test equipment: Dripping test device;
Sample placement: Make one face of the sample at an angle of 15° to the vertical line, with the distance from the top of the sample to the dripping mouth not exceeding 200mm. After testing one face, change to another face, a total of four times.
Test conditions: Dripping rate is 30.5mm/min; Test duration: 4×2.5min, a total of 10min.
(3) IPX3
Method name: Spray test
a. Swinging pipe spray test
Test equipment: Swinging pipe spray splash test device;
Sample placement: Choose an appropriate radius of the swinging pipe so that the height of the sample table is at the position of the diameter of the swinging pipe, place the sample on the sample table, so that the distance from the top of the sample to the sample spray mouth does not exceed 200mm, the sample table does not rotate;
Test conditions: The water flow rate is calculated according to the number of water spray holes of the swinging pipe, each hole is 0.07 L/min. When spraying water, the water from the spray holes of the 60° arc segment on both sides of the midpoint of the swinging pipe is sprayed towards the sample. The sample to be tested is placed in the center of the semicircle of the swinging pipe. The swinging pipe swings 60° on both sides of the vertical line, a total of 120°. Each swing (2×120°) is about 4s.
Test pressure: 400kPa; Test time: Continuous water spraying for 10min.
b. Handheld spray test
Test equipment: Handheld spray splash test device;
Sample placement: Make the parallel distance from the top of the test to the water spray mouth of the handheld spray head between 300mm and 500mm;
Test conditions: A baffle with a counterweight should be installed during the test, with a water flow rate of 10L/min;
Test time: Calculated according to the surface area of the sample enclosure, 1min per square meter (excluding the installation area), at least 5min.
(4) IPX4
Method name: Splash test
a. Swinging pipe splash test
Test equipment and sample placement: Choose an appropriate radius of the swinging pipe so that the height of the sample table is at the position of the diameter of the swinging pipe, place the sample on the sample table, so that the distance from the top of the sample to the sample spray mouth does not exceed 200mm, the sample table does not rotate;
Test conditions: The water flow rate is calculated according to the number of water spray holes of the swinging pipe, each hole is 0.07L/min; The water spray area is the water from the spray holes of the 90° arc segment on both sides of the midpoint of the swinging pipe is sprayed towards the sample. The sample to be tested is placed in the center of the semicircle of the swinging pipe. The swinging pipe swings 180° on both sides of the vertical line, a total of about 360°. Each swing (2×360°) is about 12s.
Test time: Continuous water spraying for 10min.
b. Handheld spray splash test
Test equipment: Handheld spray splash test device;
Sample placement: The baffle with a counterweight installed on the device should be removed, making the parallel distance from the top of the test to the water spray mouth of the handheld spray head between 300mm and 500mm.
Test conditions: A baffle with a counterweight should be installed during the test, with a water flow rate of 10L/min.
Test time: That is, calculated according to the surface area of the sample enclosure, 1min per square meter (excluding the installation area), at least 5min.
(5) IPX4K
Test name: Pressurized swinging pipe rain test
Test equipment: Swinging pipe rain test;
Sample placement: Choose an appropriate radius of the swinging pipe so that the height of the sample table is at the position of the diameter of the swinging pipe, place the sample on the sample table, so that the distance from the top of the sample to the sample spray mouth does not exceed 200mm, the sample table does not rotate.
Test conditions: The water flow rate is calculated according to the number of water spray holes of the swinging pipe, each hole is 0.6±0.5L/min. The water spray area is the water from the spray holes of the 90° arc segment on both sides of the midpoint of the swinging pipe is sprayed towards the sample. The sample to be tested is placed in the center of the semicircle of the swinging pipe. The swinging pipe swings 180° on both sides of the vertical line, a total of about 360°. Each swing (2×360°) is about 12s.
Test pressure: 400kPa; Test time: After 5min of testing, the sample is rotated 90°.
Note: The spray pipe has 121 holes with a diameter of 0.5mm;
— Center 1 hole;
— Core area 2 layers (each layer 12 holes, 30 degrees distribution);
— Outer circle 4 circles (each circle 24 holes, 15 degrees distribution);
— Movable cover.
The spray pipe should be made of copper-zinc alloy (brass).
(6) IPX5
Method name: Water spray test
Test equipment: The water spray mouth of the nozzle has an inner diameter of 6.3mm;
Test conditions: Make the distance between the test sample and the water spray mouth 2.5-3m, the water flow rate is 12.5L/min (750L/h);
Test time: Calculated according to the surface area of the sample enclosure, 1min per square meter (excluding the installation area), at least 3min.
(7) IPX6
Method name: Intense water spray test
Test equipment: The water spray mouth of the nozzle has an inner diameter of 12.5mm;
Test conditions: Make the distance between the test sample and the water spray mouth 2.5-3m, the water flow rate is 100L/min (6000L/h);
Test time: Calculated according to the surface area of the sample enclosure, 1min per square meter (excluding the installation area), at least 3min.
D=6.3mm, water protection level 5 and 6K; D=12.5mm, water protection level 6.
(8) IPX7
Method name: Short-term immersion test
Test equipment: Immersion tank;
Test conditions: The size should be such that after the sample is placed in the immersion box, the distance from the bottom of the sample to the water surface is at least 1m, and the distance from the top of the sample to the water surface is at least 0.15m; test time: 30 minutes.
（9）IPX8
Method name: Continuous diving test
Test equipment test conditions and test time: agreed between the supply and demand (buyer and seller) parties, the severity should be higher than IPX7.