Water-Wash, Process-Sealed, IP67 Switch Seal Rating
Definition of IP Codes (Ingress Protection):
So what are the IP seal ratings? The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) 60529 Standards document specifies an international classification system for the sealing effectiveness of enclosures of electrical equipment against the “intrusion into the equipment of foreign bodies and moisture.”
#1. Degrees of Protection Against Solid Objects – First Digit
6 = Dust-tight
#2. Degrees of Protection Against Liquids – Second Digit
7 = Protection against effects of immersion from 15cm to 1m (6″ to 40″).
Based on the above, our standard for defining a “process-sealed” switch is “sealed to meet the minimum requirements of IP67.” This means that a switch rated to IP67 is “dust-tight” and will pass a water submersion test at 40″ (1m), for up to 30 minutes.
Due to the variables encountered in actual water-wash machine processing, IP67 does not necessarily insure that water entry into the switch cannot occur. The water-wash pressures and air-knife drying that occurs in modern PCB machine-washing can exceed the seal requirements of the IP67 rating.
| FIRST NUMBER | DEFINITION | SECOND NUMBER | DEFINITION |
| Protection against solid objects | Protection against liquids | ||
| 0 | No protection | 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects over 50mm (e.g. accidental touch by hands) | 1 | Protected against vertically falling drops of water |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects over 12mm (e.g. fingers) | 2 | Protected against direct sprays up to 15° from the vertical |
| 3 | Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm (e.g. tools and wires) | 3 | Protected against direct sprays up to 60° from vertical |
| 4 | Protected against solid objects over 1mm (e.g. tools, wires and small wires) | 4 | Protected from sprays all directions – limited ingress permitted |
| 5 | Protected against dust – limited ingress (no harmful deposit) | 5 | Protected against low pressure jets if water from all directions – limited ingress permitted |
| 6 | Totally protected against dust | 6 | Protected against strong jets of water (e.g. for use on shipdecks – limited ingress permitted) |
| 7 | Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m. Duration of test 30 min. | ||
| 8 | Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure |
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