IP zoning

• Zone 0 - Inside the bath or shower. Any fittings used here must be SELV(Separated Extra Low Voltage – max. 12Volts) and have a minimum rating of IPX7(IP67) (protected against immersion in water – total immersion proof);
• Zone 1 - Above the bath or shower to a height if 2.25m. A minimum rating of IPX4(IP44) is required. In this zone, if there is likelihood of water jets being used for cleaning purposes, a minimum of IPX5 is required. Also, subject to IP rating, SELV or 240V luminaires may be used in this zone; ff the fitting is 240 volts, a 30mA residual current device (RCD) must also be used to protect the circuit in this zone.
• Zone 2 - The area stretching to 0.6m outside the bath or shower and above the bath or shower if over 2.25m. An IP rating of at least IPX4(IP44) is required. In this zone, if there is likelihood of water jets being used for cleaning purposes, a minimum of IPX5 is required. Also, subject to IP rating, SELV or 240V luminaires may be used in this zone. In addition, it is a good practice to also consider the area around a wash basin (within a 60cm radius of any tap) as Zone 2.
• Outside the zones – anywhere outside zones 0, 1, and 2. Where water jets are not to be used for cleaning purposes, the general rules of BS7671 apply. Here, there is no requirement for any lighting solutions to be protected against particles or solid objects, e.g. IPX4 – no IP rating required.

IP ratings explained (IP = Ingress Protection)

1. The first digit – protection against ingress of foreign bodies, like: tools, dust, fingers, etc.
2. The second digit – protection against ingress of liquids. Ex. IP44 offers protection against solid objects greater than 1 mm and water sprayed from all directions.

The first digit – protection from foreign bodies

• 0 – no protection from foreign bodies;
• 1 – protected against solid objects greater than 50mm(e.g. accidental touch by hands);
• 2 – protected against solid objects up to 12mm(e.g. fingers);
• 3 – protected against solid objects greater than 2.5mm(e.g. tools and wires);
• 4 – protected against solid objects greater than 1mm(e.g. small tools and wires);
• 5 – protected against dust, limited ingress(e.g. no harmful deposit);
• 6 – totally protected against dust.

The second digit – protection from liquids

• 0 – no protection from liquids;
• 1 – protection against vertically falling drops of water(e.g. condensation);
• 2 – protection against direct sprays of water up to 15 degrees from vertical;
• 3 – protection against direct sprays of water up to 60 degrees from vertical;
• 4 – protection against water sprayed from all directions – limited ingress permitted;
• 5 – protected against low pressure jets of water from all directions – limited ingress permitted;
• 6 – protected against high pressure jets of water (use on ship deck) – limited ingress permitted;
• 7 – protected against the effects of immersion between 15cm and 1m;
• 8 – protected against long periods of immersion under pressure.

Although there are numerous combinations of IP ratings, the most common ones are: IP67, IP65, IP44, IP20. For specially IP rated luminaires you will find each product clearly marked with its IP rating PLUS the highest zone in which it can be installed.

1. the first digit describes the degree of protection rate against solid objects, dust, the solid particles and bodies;
2. the second digit describes the degree of protection offered against liquids.

The IP rating is valid when the environment conditions are standard; in special cases and hazardous environments(intense heat, mines, etc), special protection is required.

The first IP digit – protection against solid object(X – can differ; see below for options)

• IP0X - No protection from solid bodies, no solid protection;
• IP1X - Protection from the objects with a diameter larger than 50 mm(ex. Contact with the hand). It does not include intentional access.
• IP2X - Protection from the objects with a diameter larger than 12 mm(ex. Contact with the finger, or similar objects with a length of max. 80mm). Ex: downlights and light strips (IP20)
• IP3X - Protection from the objects with a diameter larger than 2.5 mm(ex. Contact with wires larger/longer than 2.5mm). Ex: switches and sockets (IP3X)
• IP4X - Protection from the objects with a diameter larger than 1 mm(ex. fine wires or strips larger/longer than 1mm).  Ex: insulated encloser consummer unit (IP40)
• IP5X - Protection from the harmful levels of dust. The dust is not fully stopped from entering in, but it’s intrusion does not block the normal activity of the device. Ex: weatherproof unswitched socket(IP55);
• IP6X - Total protection from dust – no dust enters in. Ex: waterproof sockets, garden spotlights, etc(IP64);

The second IP digit – protection against liquids, water(X – can differ; see below for options)

• IPX0 - No special protection against water or liquids;
• IPX1 - The enclosure provides protection from vertical falling water only, the vertical drops of falling water will not enter in;
• IPX2 - The enclosure provides protection from water falling at up to 15° from vertical; the vertical drops of water have no effect on it, when the device is tilted up to 15° from the normal position;
• IPX3 - The enclosure provides protection from water falling at up to 60° from vertical; the vertical drops of water/water spray have no effect on it, when the device is tilted up to 60° from the normal position;
• IPX4 - The enclosure provides protection from water splashed from all directions;
• IPX5 - The enclosure provides protection from low pressure water jets, like a nozzle;
• IPX6 - The enclosure provides protection from high pressure/powerful water jets, like the sea water, from any direction;
• IPX7 - The enclosure provides protection from temporary submersion in water, up to 1m in depth, when the device is either dropped or placed in water for a limited time and depth=1m;
• IPX8 - The enclosure provides protection from liquids and water for an extended set time of submersion in water, up to a specified depth;

For more info and examples, visit the sparks direct website. This article was also posted on google knol. See below a sample chart with the IP ratings for electrical devices.