Electric Motor Control Basics - Book - Page 89
Understanding IP Ratings
What is the IP Ratings Chart?
Short for Ingress Protection or International Protection, an IP rating details how
protected an electrical enclosure or cabinet is from external elements, including dust,
debris, human contact, and moisture.
When you’re looking for a new enclosure for your workplace, it’s vital to understand IP
ratings and know which ones are most appropriate for your environment.
For the full scope of the ratings, you can refer to international standard EN 60529
(British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). In this article, we provide an
overview of what the ratings chart looks like and what it means.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) established a multi-part labeling
system to denote how protected each component is. The IP rating includes three to
four elements, including:
• The words “IP” at the beginning
• A first number that describes how protected people are from the component’s
moving parts, along with how protected the component is from the environment
and foreign bodies.
• A second number that describes how well-protected the electrical enclosure is
from liquids and moisture, including sprays, dips, and submersions.
Industrial Control
Basics:
Part 1, Contactors
Industrial Control
Basics: Part 2,
Overload Relays
Industrial Control
Basics: Part 3,
Starters
The Benefits of Type E/F
Motor Protection
Circuit Breakers
Basic Pump Control:
Three Phase DOL Starter
Control of an Electric Pump
Applying Motor Control
in a Wastewater
Application
NEMA vs IEC Motor
Controls
Understanding
IP Ratings
89
