IP Ratings Explained by ryness.co.uk!


15 June 2016

IP Ratings Explained by ryness.co.uk! 


Many of our most popular products, for example Halers LED Downlights from Collingwood, The Brackenheath iSpot range of outdoor LED floodlights and many of our LED bulbs from Integral, Phillips, GE and Bell, come with an IP rating.


Here is your guide to understanding IP ratings:


Firstly, IP ratings are designed to give the consumer a clear indication of the level of protection from both solid objects (such as dust) and liquids (most commonly water). 

The first digit on an IP rating relates to the solid, the second to a liquid. The scale runs from zero to six for solids and from zero to eight for liquids. Zero denotes no special protection measures are in place.


For example, a Collingwood Halers LED Downlight (the H2 Pro 550T ) is rated to IP65. This means it is dust tight and will continue to work even if water is sprayed from a nozzle directly at the fitting (perhaps when fire sprinklers are accidentally activated or when spraying indoor plants).


Brackenheath ispot LED Floodlights are also IP65 rated so they will be protected from the elements and show no damage from rain or snow. The test for this includes firing water at the spot enclosure for at least 15 minutes in all directions at a volume of 12.5 litres per minute.