What is the light IP rating? What do the different IP ratings mean, and why does it matter for your warehouse? How do you know which one to use? Get everything explained in our ultimate guide.
IP rating stands for "ingress protection rating." This international standard lets you know how effective an item’s protection against moisture and dirt is. The IP rating features two numbers indicating protection against solids (like dust) and humidity.
For example, an item is rated IP65. The number “6” refers to the item’s protection against solid objects, while the “5” refers to the same item’s protection against liquid substances.
IP ratings are used interchangeably with IPX ratings. X are placeholders for the actual protection an item has against the elements. Thus, if an item has a rating of IPX8, it simply means that it is protected from permanent submersion in water up to 13 feet (please refer to the table below for more details) but contains no data for its protection against solid objects. Hence, the X.
So now that we have a basic idea of an IP rating, let’s figure out why this is important in lighting and choosing the right rating for your needs.
What do lower IP ratings mean?
As mentioned above, IP ratings are used to determine how well an item fares against moisture or dirt intrusion. The number seen on the left refers to the item’s protection against dirt and solid particle ingress. It has up to 6 ratings:
Rating | Remarks |
0 | No protection |
1 | Protected against water drops |
2 | Protected against water drops at a 15-degree angle |
3 | Protected against water spray at a 60-degree angle |
4 | Protected against splashes of water at any angle |
5 | Protected against water jets at any angle |
6 | Protected against powerful water jets and heavy seas |
7 | Protected against the effects of temporary submersion in water (30 minutes max at a depth of 3 feet) |
8 | Protected against the effects of permanent submersion in water (up to 13 feet) |
9 | Protected against powerful water jets with high temperatures. (can handle water sprays of 80 degrees Celsius with high pressure and at a close range) |
On the other hand, IP ratings relating to moisture protection are divided into 8 levels. Please see the table below:
Rating | Remarks |
0 | No protection |
1 | Protected against water drops |
2 | Protected against water drops at a 15-degree angle |
3 | Protected against water spray at a 60-degree angle |
4 | Protected against splashes of water at any angle |
5 | Protected against water jets at any angle |
6 | Protected against powerful water jets and heavy seas |
7 | Protected against the effects of temporary submersion in water (30 minutes max at a depth of 3 feet) |
8 | Protected against the effects of permanent submersion in water (up to 13 feet) |
9 | Protected against powerful water jets with high temperatures. (can handle water sprays of 80 degrees Celsius with high pressure and at a close range) |
As seen from the tables above, the lower the ratings for both solid and water protection, the lower the protection the item has against the intrusion of these elements. An IP rating of double zero means there’s no protection at all from dust and moisture ingress.
What’s the highest IP rating?
Similarly, it looks like the highest IP rating an item can attain is IP69. This means that the item is not only “dust-tight” (no dust can enter the unit at all) but can also withstand high pressure and high-temperature water or steam in terms of water protection.
Remember that some fixtures with an X8 or X9 rating will be hermetically sealed so no water can get inside. This situation is very common. Sometimes, however, some water can get inside, but it will not negatively affect the fixture if it does.
The IP69K rating is the go-to choice for industries where frequent sanitization is necessary. It can handle high-pressure and high-temperature water used to sanitize units in the food processing industry and other similar locations.
You are unlikely to need this IP rating unless you are in an industry where you regularly use high-pressure sprays with chemicals to clean the surfaces.
Why is light IP rating important for a warehouse?
When choosing light fixtures for a commercial, industrial, or trying to determine what warehouse LED lighting to choose, the IP rating should reflect the required protection against the environmental conditions to which the light fixture is likely to be exposed.
Looking back at the chart above, the first digit of the IP code stands for the protection the lighting has against solid parts, which includes being exposed to live parts and access to solid items/bodies, as well as dust/debris and other levels of particulates.
The second digit of the IP code showcases protection against the harmful ingress of liquids. Determining which IP rating a lighting fixture has against moisture intrusion is important to prevent the possibility of internal short-circuiting of the light wiring and ballast by liquid. This is a possibility due to on-site industrial processes emitting liquid sprays or even cleaning routines that utilize water jets etc.
Which IP ratings to use in which areas?
IP20 and IP40
By now, you should see that these IP ratings are low, but if your light will be indoors and the space has a relatively neutral environment, these low ratings will be fine. You should only use these inside and not if there are high humidity levels or other harsh conditions.
You commonly find this lighting rating in offices and commercial spaces. Imagine LED linear lights or something similar.
IP54
The IP54 rating is commonly used indoors, and you wouldn’t want to use these lights outside unless they are covered. Having a rating of IP54 means it offers dust protection, but it only has protection against splashing water. Exposing these lights to elements such as rain is not the best idea.
This is another IP rating that you will likely find on indoor use LED lights. Many basic light bulbs will also have this rating.
IP65
If you’re wondering which light fixture IP rating is ideal for the outdoors, like outdoor wall washer lights or outdoor bollard lights, then you want a rating of at least IP65. Based on our chart, this rating means the light is dust-tight so that no solid objects can get inside. In terms of water, it can handle a 6.3 mm nozzle, which means it should do fine in the rain.
This is among the most common ratings for general outdoor lights. Whether they are part of landscaping or parking lot lights, this is a good rating to use.
IP67 and IP68
While IP65 lights do well in the rain, you need an IP67 or IP68 rating if you live in an area with floods or plan to submerge the light in a pool or music-dancing fountain.
The high rating for water ingress protection makes IP68 and IP67 lights the most popular option for lights in any area that is likely to be exposed to water. In addition to obvious uses like pools and docks, it is also a good choice if you know the area is prone to flood or you have extremely heavy rainfalls.
Conclusion
Having the knowledge about IP ratings and their application will help ensure that you choose a lighting fixture designed to work in a given space. IP measures the ingress protection against solids like dust and water.
Generally, you should opt for a higher IP rating outdoors or in areas with a lot of dust. If you need help choosing the right IP rating for a light in a given space or anything about warehouse lighting supply, our team is here to help.