ISO 20653 Road Vehicles - Degrees of Protection (IP Code) - Protection of Electrical Equipment Against Foreign Objects, Water and Access

The standard “ISO 20653 Road vehicles - Degrees of protection (IP code) - Protection of electrical equipment against foreign objects, water and access” developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) describes the requirements for determining the degrees of protection (IP code) provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment of road vehicles.

This standard specifies the following:

• Definitions of types and degrees of protection provided by electrical equipment enclosures (IP codes):
  • Protection of electrical equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of foreign objects, including dust (foreign object protection)
  • Protection against persons accessing hazardous parts inside the enclosure (access protection)
  • Protection of electrical equipment inside the enclosure against effects caused by ingress of water (water protection)
• Requirements for each degree of protection
• Tests to verify that the enclosure complies with the requirements of the relevant degree of protection

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply:

• Enclosure refers to the part that protects the equipment against certain external influences and access from any direction.
• Degree of protection refers to the protection provided by an enclosure against access, foreign objects or water, as verified by standard test methods.
• IP code (international protection code) refers to the coding system used to indicate the degree of protection an enclosure provides against access, foreign objects or water and to provide additional information about such parts.
• Dangerous part refers to a part that is dangerous to approach or touch.
• Clearance refers to the space or opening that exists or can be created in an enclosure by the application of a test probe with the specified force.

The structure of the IP code is described in this standard.

The first code element refers to protection against foreign objects (including dust):

• 0 = Unprotected
• 1 = Diameter at least 50 mm
• 2 = Diameter at least 12,5 mm
• 3 = Diameter at least 2,5 mm
• 4 = Diameter at least 1,0 mm
• 5K = Dust protected
• 6K = Dustproof

The second code element refers to protection against water:

• 0 = Unprotected
• 1 = Vertical water drops
• 2 = Water drops (15 degree slope)
• 3 = Water spray
• 4 = Splashing water
• 4K = Increased pressure splashing water
• 5 = High speed water
• 6 = Powerful high speed water
• 6K = Powerful high speed water with increased pressure
• 7 = Temporary immersion
• 8 = Continuous immersion
• 9K = High pressure / steam jet cleaning

For example, if an enclosure used in road vehicles is marked with the code IP34K, this means:

• 3 = The electrical equipment inside the enclosure is protected against foreign objects with a diameter greater than 2,5 mm (foreign object protection) and the enclosure provides protection against access to the enclosure by persons handling rods with a diameter of 2,5 mm or greater (access protection).
• 4K = The enclosure protects the electrical equipment inside the enclosure against harmful effects caused by water splashing under increasing pressure from any direction (water protection).

Marking an enclosure with the IP16KB code means:

• 1 = Electrical equipment inside the enclosure is protected against foreign objects greater than 50 mm in diameter (foreign object protection).
• 6K = Electrical equipment inside the enclosure is protected against harmful effects caused by water directed against the enclosure in the form of a powerful jet with increasing pressure from any direction (water protection).
• B = Protection is provided against personal finger contact with hazardous parts inside the enclosure (access protection).

The ISO 20653 standard specifies test requirements depending on the type of road vehicle and where the device is installed. Vehicle types covered by this standard include:

• passenger vehicles
• Motor buses, special vehicles, road tractors and trailers
• Tractors and trailers
• motorcycles
• special purpose vehicles

Among the numerous tests, measurements, analyses and evaluations our organization has carried out for businesses in various sectors, our organization also provides testing services defined in the standard “ISO 20653 Road vehicles - Degrees of protection (IP code) - Protection of electrical equipment against foreign objects, water and access” with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.