IP Ratings – What Are They And Why Are They Important?

IP rating refers to ingress protection rating or international protection ratings, which are used to qualify levels of dust- and water-sealing effectiveness. It is crucial to consider IP ratings if you are purchasing fixtures for dusty or wet environments.

An IP rating is defined by the letters IP, followed by two numbers. Its sole purpose is to provide accurate information about the protection level an electrical fixture offers. The first number offers a scale of 0–6 and relates to the protection levels against solids like dirt, sand, dust, and debris, while the second number (0–8) represents protection against liquids like moisture and water. The higher the number, the greater the protection against solids and liquids.

Main Differences Between IP65, IP66, and IP67

Depending on your project, the differences between these three ratings can be very important. A fixture rated with any of the three of these ratings is equally protected against dust, dirt, sand, and debris (as indicated by the “6” digit). The liquid/water protection for each of these three ratings is unique.

IP65 – Water resistant
IP66 – Water resistant against powerful jets
IP67 – Protected against complete temporary water submersion

Which IP Rating Do I Need?

The answer to this question ultimately depends on the environment in which your fixtures will be installed. If your fixtures will be subjected to dust, sand, debris, or liquids, choosing a fixture with a higher IP rating is advised. To decide which IP rating is suitable for your project, examine the space where the fixture will be placed. Typically, low IP ratings are used for areas such as indoor settings where jetting water will never be an issue. Temperature controlled areas like office buildings and municipal buildings would not require high IP ratings.  High-IP-rated fixtures are used for outdoor locations subjected to a greater amounts of liquids and dust, areas with a large footfall, wet locations, and unsealed locations, such as sports arenas, beachfront areas, and dirty warehouses.

IP65 Fixtures

A fixture with an IP rating of 65 is protected against multi-directional, low-pressure water jets. In order to pass testing and achieve an IP65 rating, fixtures must be able to withstand water projected by a 0.25-inch nozzle. To achieve satisfactory results, this test must be run for a minimum of fifteen minutes, with the water source placed three yards from the fixture. Additionally, the water pressure must be 30 kPa with a water volume of 3.3 gallons per minute.

MECREE has many IP65 rated luminaires in many styles and for many applications. Here are just some of the MECREE IP65 fixtures available for purchase.

IP66 Fixtures

An IP66 rated fixture is protected against multi-directional, high-pressure water jets. To pass IP66 testing, the fixture must be able to withstand water projected from 0.50-inch nozzle, multi-directional, high-pressure jets. This test must be run for a minimum of three minutes, at a distance of three yards, with a water volume of 26.4 gallons per minute and a pressure of 100 kPa.

MECREE has many IP66 rated luminaires in many styles and for many applications. Here are just some of the MECREE IP66 fixtures available for purchase.

IP67 Fixtures

A fixture rated at IP67 is protected from water immersion between 5.9 inches and 39.37 inches. To pass IP67 testing, the fixture must not permit ingress of harmful quantities of water when fully immersed. There must be at least 5.9 inches of water above the fixture for the test to be valid.
MECREE has many IP67 rated luminaires in many styles and for many applications. Here are just some of the MECREE IP67 fixtures available for purchase.

If you still have questions about what to choose for your race track lighting arena, ask an expert or give us a call toll free at +86 0755 3653 5970 or email us info@mecree.com, and we will try to find an answer to your question.