Most of the cameras that we carry in our catalog are weatherproof, and we identify the camera’s level of tolerance to the extreme conditions with it’s Ingress Protection Rating. This “IP Code” (not to be confused with the IP address) was made to define how well devices like our IP cameras hold up against the elements, namely dust and water. In this article, we’ll go over what all of the different levels of Ingress Protection are, when to use the different IP ratings, and what varying degrees of Ingress Protection our products offer.
What do the numbers in the Ingress Protection rating mean?
The IP code always consists of two numbers after the letters “IP.” The first digit can range from 0-6, and represent the enclosure’s effectiveness at keeping out solid particulate, like dust. “0” would define something that has “No protection against contact and ingress of objects,” while the number “6” means that the enclosure allows “no ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust tight).” Refer to the chart below to see the full breakdown of all 7 categories defined in the first digit of an IP code.
First Digit
| Level sized | Effective against | Description |
| 0 | — | No protection against contact and ingress of objects |
| 1 | >50 mm | Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part |
| 2 | >12.5 mm | Fingers or similar objects |
| 3 | >2.5 mm | Tools, thick wires, etc. |
| 4 | >1 mm | Most wires, slender screws, large ants etc. |
| 5 | Dust protected | Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment. |
| 6 | Dust tight | No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust tight). A vacuum must be applied. Test duration of up to 8 hours based on air flow. |
The second digit in the IP code refers to it’s resistance to water. This digit can range from 0-9, where “0” means that the device is not water resistant at all, and “9” is “protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs.” The chart below has the specifics of all 10 levels of protection against harmful egress of water.
Second Digit
| Level | Protection against | Effective against |
| 0 | None | — |
| 1 | Dripping water | Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect on the specimen when mounted in an upright position onto a turntable and rotated at 1 RPM. |
| 2 | Dripping water when tilted at 15° | Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle of 15° from its normal position. A total of four positions are tested within two axes. |
| 3 | Spraying water | Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either: a) an oscillating fixture, or b) A spray nozzle with a counterbalanced shield. Test a) is conducted for 5 minutes, then repeated with the specimen rotated horizontally by 90° for the second 5-minute test. Test b) is conducted (with shield in place) for 5 minutes minimum. |
| 4 | Splashing of water | Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either: a) an oscillating fixture, or b) A spray nozzle with no shield. Test a) is conducted for 10 minutes. Test b) is conducted (without shield) for 5 minutes minimum. |
| 5 | Water jets | Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6 | Powerful water jets | Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects. |
| 6K | Powerful water jets with increased pressure | Water projected in powerful jets (6.3 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction, under elevated pressure, shall have no harmful effects. Found in DIN 40050, and not IEC 60529. |
| 7 | Immersion, up to 1 m depth | Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion). |
| 8 | Immersion, 1 m or more depth | The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects. The test depth and duration is expected to be greater than the requirements for IPx7, and other environmental effects may be added, such as temperature cycling before immersion. |
| 9 | Powerful high temperature water jets | Protected against close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs. Smaller specimens rotate slowly on a turntable, from 4 specific angles. Larger specimens are mounted upright, no turntable required, and are tested freehand for at least 3 minutes at distance of 0.15–0.2 m. |
Common Ratings And When To Use Them
All of our cameras are either IP66, IP67, or IP68 cameras. If proper weatherproofing practices are followed when the camera is installed, then the camera will stand up fine against rain, snow, and dust.
If the camera is going to be continuously drenched with water for 30 minutes or less from time to time, then you will need to go with at least an IP67 camera. An IP67 camera will perform well in situations where the camera might be splashed by waves or hit with water on a regular basis, like a carwash security system or other extremely wet environment.
While we don’t suggest it, if you have a camera that is going to be continuously submerged in water, then you would need to go with an IP68 camera. Our Exterior Vehicle IP Cameras are rated for this, in case they are installed on a boat or other marine vehicle.
