What is IP68 rating ?
Answer to Question:
The IP68 waterproof rating is defined as prolonged submersion for a specific water depth (1 meter).
What is IP ?
The "IP" stands for Ingress Protection, an international standard that rates the level of sealing effectiveness of an electrical enclosure against intrusion from foreign objects.
• First digit (6): Indicates a "dust-tight", meaning no ingress of dust. Complete protection against solid particles.
• Second digit (8): Indicates prolonged immersion in water up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) without harm.
For example, an IP68 enclosure would be “dust-tight” and it could be submersed in 1 meter deep in water for prolonged submersion without damage according to the IP system.
What is the Ingress Protection (IP) System?
The Ingress Protection (IP) rating system was established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1976 to provide a standardized way to classify equipment and products resistance to intrusion from solids and liquids, with its details found in the IEC 60529 standard. This standardized system has replaced subjective terms such as "water-resistant" and "dustproof" with specific measurable systems & ratings, thereby allowing designers and engineers to easily to select appropriate equipment or enclosures for industrial and consumer applications.
What is the Purpose of the Ingress Protection System?
Answer: To Create a Standardized Electrical Product Environmental Protection System
• Standardized System:
The primary goal was to eliminate subjective descriptions a product's protection levels against the elements.
• IEC:
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), that is a global organization for electrotechnical
standardization, developed a measurable system to promote safety and inter-operability in electrical & electronic devices.
• 1976:
The first edition of the IEC 60529 standard (that includes the details the IP rating system) was published in 1976.
Here’s the Ingress Protection System
• The IP Code System: The system uses a two-digit code after the letters IP (e.g., IP65 or IP67).
• First Digit: Indicates protection against solid objects, with ratings from 0 (no protection) to 6 (dust-tight).
• Second Digit: Indicates protection against liquids, with ratings from 0 (no protection) to 9 (protection against heavy water jets). For example, IP68, then the 8 is for prolonged submersion.
The IEC revises the Ingress Protection (IP) standard to accommodate for the modern industrial requirements.
The IP rating system has been widely adopted worldwide for commercial and industrial standards.
What are the Advantages of IP68 Rated Product?
The key advantage of IP68 rated products there is a reduced risk of product damage due to prolonged water submersion. Therefore, valuable electronics and power systems won’t be damaged by a water submersion from heavy storm or environmental events.
IP68-rated products offer full protection against dust and can withstand water immersion, which results in significant advantages in durability, reliability, and cost savings since the product not likely to be damaged. Therefore, IP68 products are ideal for use in harsh environments and for example: indoor or outdoor industrial environments, near water pipes, outdoor surveillance equipment and consumer electronics that might be water splashed or temporarily water submersed. IP68 enclosures provide much better water resistance than IP67 enclosures according the the IP system.
Key advantages of IP68 Rated Products
Enhanced Durability and Reliability
• Protection from Contaminants: The products dust-tight & waterproof seal protects internal components from corrosion and deterioration caused by dust, dirt, and moisture. This is especially crucial in all industrial factories, storage areas, commercial building and chemical process facilities that might be subject excess rain and and possibly temporary water submersion.
• Indoor & Outdoor environments: most IP68-rated devices can function much more reliably in extreme temperature fluctuations, heavy machinery vibrations, and outdoor weather, leading to enhanced reliability and uptime since that the product seals provide complete water submersion & dust resistance.
• Increased product lifespan: Since waterproof enclosures are designed to have a quality watertight sealed design, therefore equipment and electronics tend last much longer and extends the overall lifespan of the equipment and therefore resulting in much more valuable and overal long term cost savings.
Reduced Costs – Inproves Overall Profitability
• Reduced Repair & Maintenance Costs: IP68 devices are resilient to environmental factors that means less frequent repair and maintenance. This saves companies much more money and avoids expensive downtime repair expenses. Also, since the IP68 products last longer & repair less, then there are fewer engineering changes for a factory equipment.
Safe a& Reliable Operation
• Operational Reliability: IP68 protected products tend to ensure that devices continue to perform reliabily for a long time with fewer interruptions, even when exposed to harsh elements and complete water submersion.
• Overall Improved Safety: In moist, hazardous environments (including total water submersion) IP68-rated equipment and submersible enclosures reduce downtime greatly and provides additional overall personnel safety.
What are Typical IP68 Product Applications?
There is a long list of many advantages and adpplications for an IP68 dust and waterproof rating that for many industries and products:
• Industrial: All electronic networks and electrical power inside submersible product enclosures protect all forms of network communication and electrical power distribution controls.
• Indoor & Outdoor Use: Any area that is subject to possible temporary or prolonged water submersion, waterproof enclosures will protect all telecom electronics, security, etc.
• Offshore Marine & Rugged Environments: IP68 total protection for communication equipment for constructions job sites, controls for conveyor or other equipment.
For example, just because something is said to be "water-resistant" does not mean that it completely submersible waterproof. Only submersible enclosures designed for water submerson work.
What are the Common Materials used for IP68 Products?
In industry there are basically three materials used for manufacturing IP68 waterproof housings:
Metal Enclosures or Housings
• Aluminum Alloys: Lightweight aluminum offers easy flexibility to cut parts, weld, mold in casting, easy to machine parts and paint. Aluminum does not rust.
• Carbon Steel: Heavier than aluminum but strong, offers easy flexibility to cut parts, weld, mold in casting, machine parts and paint. Must be painted to reduce corrosion.
• Stainless Steel: Strong, durable and heavy as carbon steel, offers easy flexibility to cut parts, weld, mold in casting, machine parts and no coatings required.
• Plastic Molded Parts: Easy to mold and easy to break.
• FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic): Heavy Duty FRP are non-conductive and good alternative material.
For IP67 products (including enclosures), metal is always much better than than plastic that might break.
What are the Differences of IP67, IP68 and NEMA 6, 6P Rating Definitions?
Waterproof Submersible Enclosure Rating Chart
The chart shows similarity that IP67 and NEMA 6 protection is for tempory water submersion. And the information shows that IP68 and NEMA 6P are designed for prolonged water submersion. Nemaco offers submersble enclosure for all the IP67, IP68, NEMA 6 and NEMA 6P ratings.
