IP68 protection class - what does that mean?
We explain in this practical tip what the protection class IP68 means. Many gadgets or cell phones are now offered with an IP protection class. We explain what this means in the following practical tip.
IP68 protection class: what does that mean?
The IP protection class indicates how resistant the housing of an electronic device - such as that of your cell phone - is to the ingress of foreign bodies and water. The two numbers of the protection class have the following meaning:
- The first digit indicates how resistant the housing is to the penetration of foreign bodies.
- The second digit indicates the resistance to water.
Meaning of the first digit of the IP protection class
The first digit indicates how resistant the housing is to foreign bodies. There are the following six levels:
- Protected against solid foreign objects with a diameter of 50 mm or more.
- Protected against solid foreign objects with a diameter from 12.5 mm.
- Protected against solid foreign objects with a diameter from 2.5 mm.
- Protected against solid foreign objects with a diameter from 1.0 mm.
- Protected against dust in damaging quantities.
- Dust tight.
Meaning of the second digit of the IP protection class
The second digit indicates how waterproof the case is. There are eight levels here.
- Protection against dripping water.
- Protection against falling dripping water if the housing is inclined up to 15 °.
- Protection against falling spray water up to 60 ° against the vertical.
- Protection against all-round splash water.
- Protection against water jets (nozzles) from any angle.
- Protection against strong water jets.
- Protection against temporary immersion.
- Protection against permanent immersion.
That means protection class IP68
For the meaning of protection class IP68, let's take a look at the two digits in turn.
- According to the first table, the first digit, the six, means: The device is dustproof.
- According to the second table, the second digit, the eight, means: protection against permanent immersion.
- It follows that a device with protection class IP68 is dust and waterproof.