IP Ratings Explained

IP Ratings Explained

Posted on: 22nd April 2021

We’ve all been there. You’re sat at an outdoor cinema, snacks in hand as Hugh and Zac get ready for a blistering duet when it starts to rain, shorts out the equipment and writes off the popcorn... Okay, so maybe you’ve not been there exactly but trust me; nothing ruins expensive AV equipment and date night quite like the Great British weather.

While utterly devastating, this situation isn’t typical for professionally specified outdoor events & open-air spaces. As technology has evolved in recent years, most professional AV brands offer IP rated lighting and sound with sufficient weatherproofing or water resistance for outdoor applications. Even the mobile in your pocket probably has an IP rating. But what exactly does that IP rating mean?

An IP rating (aka IP Code) stands for Ingress Protection, which is defined by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) as, “a system for classifying the degrees of protection provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment.” Catchy right? Essentially, IP ratings provide a concrete way to classify how resistant equipment is to damage – the two digits referring to the level of protection against solid objects and water respectively (e.g. IP67 protects against all solid objects and full immersion in water a maximum depth of 1 metre for up to 30 minutes).

IP ratings not only make it easier for you and your customer to understand exactly what level of protection a product has, it deters manufactures from throwing around terms like ‘weather resistant’, or ‘waterproof’ without any – well, proof – and forces them to build to a consistent specification giving you more confidence when buying.

So, when should I use IP rated equipment and what IP rating do I need? Well, this depends on the environment in which the product will be used. For shower rooms or covered pub gardens where equipment may only be splashed with water, Apart Mask speakers (IP64) or CHAUVET DJ Festoon lamps (IP54) would sail through unharmed. For applications like permanent architectural lighting or playground PA speakers, IP66 rated products like the Martin Pro Exterior Projection Series or RCF HD21EN horns will easily stand up to long term outdoor use.

What about really hostile AV applications like cruise ships or underwater environments? An important thing to note when choosing equipment for harsh environments, even the highest IP ratings (IP68 or IP69) won’t necessarily protect against everything you throw at it. Areas with high concentrations of salt-water, extreme temperatures or particular chemicals can still damage equipment that’s only rated against dust and water. For products rated IP68 each manufacturer will specify what their product is protected against and to what extent.

We work with a wide range of brand partners to supply you with IP rated sound and lighting solutions to suit even the toughest environments. If you have a challenging application in mind and would like to discuss your requirements with our team, call 01525 850085 or email sales@leisuretec.co.uk.

IP Ratings Chart

Use our chart below to work out what IP rating you need for your projects and click here to download your free guide to IP ratings.

First Digit: Protection from solid objects and particulate matter

Second Digit: Protection from liquids and moisture

See also:

• Understanding EN 54