What is an IP rating?

IP - Ingress Protection rating is used to specify the environmental protection - electrical enclosure - of electrical equipment

The IP rating normally has two numbers:

By the book

ip-ratings-chart1_edited-1

0	No special protection
1	Protected against solid objects over 50 mm, e.g. accidental touch by persons hands.
2	Protected against solid objects over 12 mm, e.g. persons fingers.
3	Protected against solid objects over 2.5 mm (tools and wires).
4	Protected against solid objects over 1 mm (tools, wires, and small wires).
5	Protected against dust limited ingress (no harmful deposit).
6	Totally protected against dust.

0	No protection.
1	Protection against vertically falling drops of water e.g. condensation.
2	Protection against direct sprays of water up to 15^o from the vertical.
3	Protected against direct sprays of water up to 60^o from the 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.
6	Protected against temporary flooding of water, e.g. for use on ship decks - limited ingress permitted.
7	Protected against the effect of immersion between 15 cm and 1 m.
8	Protects against long periods of immersion under pressure.

In another blog we compared the IP rating of Hog Slat’s Vent Actuator (65) vs. a competitive brand (53)

A rating of 65 means the Hog Slat unit is totally protected from dust and protected against low pressure streams entering from any direction.

The competitive brand rating of 53 has limited protection from dust and no protection from direct sprays of water.