POWER
What is the meaning of the IP ratings for power supplies?
Maximilian Hülsebusch - Global Product Marketing & Communications Manager – PULS Power
T
he IP rating indicates to what extent an electrical device is protected against the intrusion of foreign objects and moisture. In this blog post, you can fi nd out which IP codes there are, what the differences are between them and what you need to pay attention to when choosing a power supply. Environmental infl uences such as dust or moisture can prevent the electrical components in a power supply from functioning correctly. In addition, the interior of the power supply may need to be protected from intrusion by foreign objects, such as tools, screws and wires, and from accidental contact by the user. It is important to pay attention to the IP code (international protection code), particularly when power supplies are installed outside a cabinet. The power supply can only be used safely, and costly downtime can only be avoided if the IP rating is suitable for the conditions.
“
Electronic devices are often tested in relation to only one of the two codes for foreign objects and liquids.
Table 1
What IP codes are there? The IP code generally consists of the abbreviation IP, international protection or sometimes ingress protection, and two digits, for example, IP20, IP54, IP67 etc. The fi rst digit identifi es the protection against accidental contact and the intrusion of foreign objects, like sand and dust into the device. The second digit indicates the protection against liquids and moisture. In the case of industrial power supplies, DIN EN 60529 is the relevant standard for determining the IP rating. The ISO 20653:2013 standard is also frequently used for road vehicles. However, it only applies to electrical components in vehicles that need additional protection against pressure washing, for example with a steam cleaner.
”
In the context of power supplies, IP codes are occasionally confused with protection classes. While IP codes relate to the intrusion of foreign objects and liquids and to accidental contact, the IEC protection (or appliance) classes determine the structure and insulation of power supplies with the aim of protecting users from electric shocks. Please see Table 1 for an overview of the meanings assigned to the numbers in different IP ratings.
Which IP ratings are frequently applied to industrial power supplies?
The IP rating required depends on 24 MARCH 2024 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
the installation site and the environmental conditions in each case. Power supply manufacturers that supply products to their customers ex stock generally only offer products with selected IP ratings that have become industry standards. The following table gives an overview of the most common IP ratings for industrial power supplies. If different combinations of protection against contact and moisture are needed in special cases, customer-specifi c power supplies are often the ideal solution.
What do codes such as IPX4 and IP6X mean?
Electronic devices are often tested in
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
