What is an Waterproof IP rating

What is an IP rating?

IP stands for “Ingress Protection” and measures how well a device is protected from both solid objects and liquids. An IP rating may look something like this: Ailunce HD1 is a dual band IP67 waterproof DMR radio, and there is also aIP67 waterproof H103M speaker mic compatible with HD1.

Let’s look at what IP67 actually means. 

As you can see, it consists of two digits. The first digit tells us how well the product is protected from solid stuff. The second one is about resistance to water. The higher the rating, the better a product is protected. 

Now let’s talk about exactly what each digit represents. 

The first digit ranges from 0–6 and reflects protection from solid particles.

0.   The product is not protected against any physical contact or objects.

1.   Only protected from objects larger than 50 mm. You won’t accidentally stick your hand into this product, but you can still easily get, say, your finger in. You probably shouldn’t.

2.   Protected from things above 2.5 mm, which includes most tools and thick wires.

3.   Protected from things above 2.5 mm, which includes most tools and thick wires.

4.   Protected from anything bigger than 1 mm.

5.  Dust resistant. Some dust may get through, but it won’t be enough to damage the product.

6.   “None shall pass!” This product is fully dust tight.

The second digit ranges from 0–9 and shows how well the product is protected from water.

0.   he product offers no special protection from water.

1.   Can resist water that drips vertically onto the product.

2.   Can resist water that hits the product at a 15° angle or less.

3.   Can take water sprays of up to 60°.

4.   Is resistant to water splashes from any direction.

5.   Can resist a sustained, low-pressure water jet spray.

6.  Can resist high-pressure, heavy sprays of water.

7.   Can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.

8.   Can be submerged deeper than 1 meter. The exact depth is specified by the manufacturer.