Guide to IP Ratings
When it comes to outdoor lighting, it’s vital that your lights are weatherproof. This will not only ensure that your lights don’t fall prey to rain or dust but also that they’re safe to be used outside or in wet areas of your house, such as your bathroom. Some lights will say on them that they are waterproof or weatherproof however we recommend looking at the IP Rating of your lights to be completely sure.
What is IP rating?
IP stands for ingress protection. It measures how resistant the light is to solids and liquids, for example rain or dust. IP is an internationally recognised measure with a defined chart; it’s not limited to lighting, and you’ll often find IP ratings on your electronics, such as sports headphones.
What does an IP rating look like?
Typically an IP rating will start with the letters IP, followed by two numbers e.g. IP22. You can see this in the example product below.
What do the IP numbers mean?
The two numbers following IP stand for the level of protection against solids and liquids, respectively.
The First digit is the indication of the protection rating a product has against solids. This ranges from protection level 1 - 6 and indicates from 50mm solid penetration to dust particle penetration. 6 is the highest IP rating that a product can have.
The Second digit indicates how resistant a product is to liquid penetration. This ranges from 1 - 8; starting with falling drops of water to immersion for long periods of time.
IP Ratings Guide
| First Digit: Degree of protection against Solid Objects or Dust |
Second Digit: Degree of protection against Moisture |
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1 |
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Protected against a solid object greater than 50mm |
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1 |
|
Resistance against vertically falling water. |
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2 |
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Protected against a solid object greater than 12.5mm |
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2 |
|
Resistance against falling water at a 15° angle. |
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3 |
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Protected against a solid object greater than 2.5mm |
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3 |
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Resistance against water spraying at a 60° angle. |
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4 |
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Protected against a solid object greater than 1mm |
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4 |
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Resistance against water spraying from all angles. |
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5 |
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Limited protection against dust won't interfere with the operation of equipment 2-8 hours |
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5 |
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Resistance against High pressure water at all angles. |
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6 |
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Dust tight. 2-8 hours |
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6 |
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Resistance against High pressure water and heavy seas at all angles. |
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7 |
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Resistance against Immersion. 15cm - 1m up to 30 minutes. |
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8 |
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Resistance against Immersion for long periods of time. |
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What IP rating do I need?
While every circumstance is different, here are a few common IP ratings for lights you might have/ like to install:-
Bathroom lights
- Shower/ bath lights: IP67
- Vanity lights above the sink: IP54
- General bathroom ceiling lights: IP54 - Deck lights: IP65
- Garden lights: IP65
-
Kitchen lights
- Near the sink: IP54
- Near the stove/ oven: IP54 - Pool lights: IP68
- Gym lights: IP54
Should I always but the highest IP rating I can?
Not necessarily. While it won’t hurt to use a light with a higher IP rating than you need, you may pay a premium for a feature you won’t utilise. Make sure you have at least the IP rating you need, anything beyond this is optional.|
Waterproof products picks
If you’re in need of inspiration for waterproof lighting, check out our top picks:
- Aqualux Lighting Neon Flex LED Strip Light IP68
- Havit Adjustable Garden Spike Light
- Havit Pinta Stainless Steel Step Light
- Dimmable Festoon Lights (10 or 20m)
- Lighting Republic Orb Mirror Wall Light
