Understanding Harsh Environment Ratings

IP (Ingress Protection) ratings consist of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter.

The first digit refers to the level of protection against hazardous parts and the ingress of solid foreign objects. The second digit refers to the level of protection against the ingress of water.

This standard provides engineers with more detailed information regarding the protection status of a product than vague terms like waterproof. Below is a brief table outlining some of the common IP ratings that you’ll see across our site. We do offer products with ratings not listed below.

IP RatingWater ProtectionDust Protection
IP65Water at 12.5 liters per minute through 6.3mm nozzle from any directionTotal dust ingress protection
IP66Water at 100 liters per minute through 12.5mm nozzle from any directionTotal dust ingress protection
IP67Submersion into water up to 1 meter deep for amount of time specified by manufacturer Total dust ingress protection
IP68Permanent submersion beyond 1 meter into water of depth stated by manufacturerTotal dust ingress protection
IP69KWater at 80-100MPa (megapascal) and 14-16 liters per minute from four angles while the device is rotated at 5RPM Total dust ingress protection

Learn About NEMA Ratings for Enclosures

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) provides a popular standard for protective enclosures. These conditions include ingress of water and foreign objects (e.g. dust or fibers), but go beyond IP code, accounting for corrosive agents and various gases and atmospheres. The table provides a brief description of each level of protection, which NEMA specifies with a NEMA Enclosure Type Number.

Indoor Nonhazardous Locations

This is a brief table outlining the NEMA ratings as related to the use of enclosures in an indoor nonhazardous location.

Provides a Degree of Protection Against the Following Environmental Conditions Enclosure NEMA Type
1244X566P1212K13
Access to hazardous partsxxxxxxxxxx
Ingress of solid foreign objects (Falling dirt)xxxxxxxxxx
Ingress of water (Dripping and light splashing)xxxxxxxxx
Ingress of solid foreign objects (Circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings **) xxxxxxx
Ingress of solid foreign objects (Settling airborne dust, lint, fibers, and flyings **) xxxxxxxx
Ingress of water (Hosedown and splashing water)xxxx
Oil or coolant seepagexxx
Oil or coolant spraying and splashingx
Corrosive agentsxx
Ingress of water (Occasional temporary submersion) xx
Ingress of water (Occasional prolonged submersion)x

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Indoor Harsh Environments

Food Processing, Hospitals, Industrial production environments- what do they have in common? They can all be considered Harsh Environments. Personal safety as well as continued operation without down time are all secured by the usage of components designed to operate where others may fail. element14 provides designers, technicians and maintenance personnel with the widest range of Harsh Environment components for usage in all types of production, manufacturing and service industries.

Characteristics:

element14 has a complete lineup of Harsh Environment components including those with the following characteristics:

  • Chemical Resistance

  • Vibration Resistance

  • Expanded Temperature Ranges

  • Arc/ Explosion Safety

  • Wire & Cable Protection

Featured Products

Outdoor Harsh Environments

It’s a rough world out there. Whether you work in Oil & Gas, Heavy Equipment, Solar Farms or the Marine space, your products and machinery have to be able to handle the elements. element14 is here to support everyone from the designer to the maintenance engineer with the components that assure your products stay operating in the harshest of conditions.

Characteristics:

Look no further than element14 to find the Harsh Environment products including those needing:

  • IP Rated Connectors & Sensors

  • Chemical Resistance

  • Vibration Resistance

  • NEMA Rated Enclosures

  • High Temperature Ranges

  • Tri-Rated Cable and Harsh Environment Wire Management Products

Featured Products

Videos

IP66 & NEMA Rated Enclosures from Bud Industries

How to measure the level in a water bottle! (Setting up a pressure transmitter) from DwyerOmega

L-com's Ruggedized Connectivity Solutions for Harsh Environments

Make the Right Choice for Harsh Environments

element14 is an authorised distributor of the market-leading brands mentioned below:

Leading Manufacturers: