Power
What is the meaning of the IP ratings for power supplies?
By 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 article you can find
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 influences 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.
What IP codes are there? The IP code generally consist of the abbreviation IP (international protection or sometimes ingress protection) and two digits (for example, IP20, IP54, IP67 etc.). The first digit identifies 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
46 November 2023
of power supplies with the aim of protecting users from electric shocks.
The following table (Table 1) gives an overview of the meaning of the numbers of the different IP ratings:
offer products with selected IP ratings that have become industry standards. Table 2 (on the opposite page) 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-specific power supplies are often the ideal solution.
What do codes such as IPX4 and IP6X mean?
Which IP ratings are frequently applied to industrial power supplies?
The IP rating required depends on the installation site and the environmental conditions in each case. Power supply manufacturers that supply products to their customers ex stock generally only
Components in Electronics Table 1
Electronic devices are often tested in relation to only one of the two codes for foreign objects and liquids. The “X” indicates that the product has not been subjected to the corresponding tests for this code. Therefore, this is not a variable that can simply be replaced by any of the values from the table of IP ratings. A power supply with the code IP6X offers full protection against contact and is dust-tight but has not been tested for liquids intrusion. In a similar way, a power supply with the code IPX4 has undergone the necessary tests for liquid splashing but has not been evaluated for the intrusion of foreign objects.
Which IP ratings does PULS offer for its power supplies? PULS offers a variety of power supplies with the IP ratings described in Table 3 (opposite). In the light of the increasing trend for decentralisation, the
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