Shopping for LED commercial and industrial lighting can be confusing. There are many different factors to consider, but the good news is that you’ve already made a good choice by deciding to switch to LED lights.
They provide numerous benefits, like energy savings and lower maintenance costs, and they last significantly longer than other types of bulbs.
But there’s a lot to learn about LED lighting, and knowing how to read and understand the different attributes of each LED is essential to ensuring that you choose the right light for your facility.
Learn more about what an IP rating is and how to read them below.
Where IP Rating Matters
Truth be told, paying attention to IP ratings is always important, but some settings need extra protection. Waterproof lighting is essential for light fixtures exposed to moisture, water, dust, or oil. Places like food processing plants, which use NSF-rated lighting, wash the area with high-pressure hoses. Oil rigs, which are out on the ocean and are exposed to seawater, require special lighting with very specific IP ratings.
Additionally, light fixtures in commercial refrigeration will encounter condensation and wet conditions. Additionally, they are extremely cold and harsh environments. A car wash light will have to withstand extreme wet conditions, harsh cleaning agents, and hot wax. Lights installed in warehouses have polluted and dusty environments that could cause damage.
This is why an LED fixture’s IP rating is so critical. They give us an exact measurement of the protection of the electrical components. A greater IP rating indicates higher level of protection against the intrusion of smaller particulates. A lesser rating indicates limited protection against these intrusions. The highest rating indicates that the fixtures are protected and can be submerged in water without any damage.
The International Protection Marking (IP Code / Ingress Protection) rates the effectiveness of bulb housings from intrusions such as dust or water. The IP rating is a standard of the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC).
It applies to a wide range of products, not just lighting, but it is especially important in lighting because lights are usually one of the most fragile items in commercial and industrial settings.
These ratings are especially important for vapor tight and explosion-proof lights, where protecting the bulb from the environment is just as important as keeping what’s inside safe. It is of utmost importance that you verify the IP rating of your vapor tight lights before you get them. An IP rating confirms that certain lights will not be a safety hazard.
A fixture’s IP rating also indicates its suitability for both outdoor and indoor use. The “I” in IP refers to the protection level of the light’s enclosure. It secures a light’s internal components against solid particles, like dust. The letter “P” refers to the ability to protect its internal components against water.
IP Rating First Digit (protection Against Dust)
Digit | Object size | Type of Protection |
0 | – | No protection at all from intrusion by objects |
1 | Objects greater than 50mm | Protected against a large object’s surface area such as a palm of the hand. This level of protection does not keep it safe from force or deliberate tampering. |
2 | Objects greater than 12.5mm | This includes protection from objects such as fingers and other similarly sized tools and objects. |
3 | Objects greater than 2.5mm | This encompasses protection from tools, thick-sized wires, and other similarly sized solid objects. |
4 | Objects greater than 1mm | This size of items includes screws, fine tools, and most wire sizes. |
5 | Protects against the entrance of dust that may adversely affect the light fixture. | This level of protection not only protects against dust and its effects in large quantities but against contact as well. |
6 | Completely dust tight | This IP protection level ensures that no dust or any other foreign body will access the light fixture’s internal components. |
x | Unrated light fixtures | If the IP rating is not defined, such light fixtures could be hazardous in high-abuse environments. |
IP Rating Second Digit (protection Against Liquids)
Digit | Capacity | Type of Protection |
0 | – | No protection from ingress of water or humidity |
1 | Dripping water and condensation | No adverse effects on light fixture when exposed to water drops vertically falling at an equivalent of 1mm per minute. |
2 | Water droplets when tilted at an angle of 15° | Water droplets landing on the light fixture when it’s inclined at an angle of 15° will not damage it. |
3 | Sprayed water at a 60° angle | Water sprayed and falling at an angle of up to 60° will not damage the light fixture. |
4 | Water splashes and sprays from any direction | Water that is splashed or sprayed on the light fixture from any direction will not harm it. |
5 | Protection from water jets that utilize low pressure to spray water | Low-pressure water jets projected by nozzles (that are at least 6.3mm) from any direction will not damage the light fixture. |
6 | Protection against ocean waves and powerful water jets | 12.5mm water jets and waves hitting the light fixture from all directions will not destroy it. |
7 | Protection against temporary immersion up to 1mm | The light fixture is effectively sealed against water infiltration at depths of 1mm. |
8 | Protection against effects of immersion in pressurized applications | The light fixture is effectively sealed against water intrusion when immersed for a prolonged period. Acceptable conditions are specified by the manufacturer. It may be hermetically sealed or able to let in water, but the water does not adversely affect its functions. |
LED Lighting & IP Rating
As you can see, understanding different IP ratings is essential to ensure that your new LED Commercial Lighting or Industrial Lighting is the right fit for your commercial or industrial space. Any facility manager or electrician knows that these settings often pose unusual hazards for lighting.
Shipyards, labs, and oil rigs are all examples of facilities that wouldn’t be able to survive without highly specialized lighting. Luckily, specially engineered LEDs solve this problem. This is why it’s so important to make sure that the lights have the appropriate IP rating.
Knowing the right IP rating for your circumstances is imperative, but there are plenty of other factors to consider that will help you find the perfect fit for your space. If you’re converting from metal halide to LEDs, you can learn a little more about that process here.
Or, if you just want to brush up on your general knowledge about LEDs, this is the perfect place to begin. But knowing the meaning behind different IP ratings is a great start.