The great outdoors | Archive Titles

Table 1: Guide to IP ratings
First number (Protection against solid objects)	Definition	Second number (Protection against liquids)	Definition
0	No protection	0	No protection
1	Protected against solid objects over 50 mm (eg accidental touch by hands)	1	Protected against vertically falling drops of water
2	Protected against solids objects over 12 mm (eg fingers)	2	Protected against direct sprays up to 15° from the vertical
3	Protected against solid objects over 2·5 mm (eg tools and wires)	3	Protected against direct sprays up to 60° from the vertical
4	Protected against solid objects over 1 mm (eg tools, wires and small wires)	4	Protected against sprays from 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 eg on ship decks – limited ingress permitted
		7	Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15 cm and 1 m.
		8	Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure