What is Waterproof Rating?

When talk about LED products we often mention waterproof rating (IPXX), but what water-proof rating is?

IP stands for Ingress Protection.

The rating’s first digit e.g. IP65 relates to the ingress protection against dust (6 means dust tight, see the table below)

The second digit e.g. IP65 relates to the ingress protection against water (5 means protected against water jets, see the table below)

Protection against solid objects
1st Digit	Description	Definition
0	Non-protected	No special protection
1	Protected against solid objects greater than 50 mm	A large surface of the body such as the hand (no protection against deliberate access). Solid objects exceeding 50mm diameter
2	Protected against solid objects greater than 12 mm	Fingers or other objects not exceeding 80 mm in length. Solid objects exceeding 12 mm diameter
3	Protected against solid objects greater than 2.5 mm	Tools, wires, etc of diameter or thickness greater than 2.5 mm. Solid objects exceeding 2.5 mm diameter.
4	Protected against solid objects greater than 1.0 mm	Wires or strips of thickness greater than 1.0 mm. Solid objects exceeding 1.0 mm
5	Dust protected	Ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the equipment
6	Dust-tight	No ingress of dust
Protection against liquids
2nd Digit	Description	Definition
0	Non-protected	No special protection
1	Protected against dripping water	Dripping water (vertically falling drops)
2	Protected against dripping water when tilted up to 15º	Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15º from its normal position
3	Protected against spraying water	Water falling as spray at an angle up to 60º  from the vertical shall have no harmful effect
4	Protected against splashing water	Water splashed against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect
5	Protected against water jets	Water projected from a nozzle against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect
6	Protected against heavy seas	Water from heavy seas or water projected in powerful jets shall not enter the enclosure in harmful quantities
7	Protected against the effects of immersion	Ingress of water in a harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time
8	Protected against submersion	The equipment is suitable for continuous submersion in water under conditions, which shall be specified by the manufacturer

Take strip light as example:

Non-waterproof LED strips: PCB (Printed Circuit Board) material with self-adhesive back

Waterproof LED strip-surface injection: Except it PCB material is encapsulated with plastic Gel at surface, with adhesive back, water resistant coat (IP-65)

Waterproof LED strip-silicon tube: Except it PCB material is encapsulated with silicon jacket. Without self-adhesive back, water resistant coat (IP-67)

Waterproof LED strip-whole injection: Except it PCB material is encapsulated with plastic GEL at both sides, Water resistant coat (IP-68)

If you want to know more details about IP code, please reference to this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code