Glossary
IP rating
What is IP rating?
A two-digit code for the protection of an enclosure: the first digit against foreign bodies and contact, the second against water. IP 66 means dust-tight and protected against powerful water jets.
What matters about IP rating in practice?
The rating applies to the fully installed device with all seals in place. An open cable entry or a missing blanking cap cancels it — the most common reason why a device with a high rating still takes in water.
Watertight does not mean vapour-tight: in damp spaces, humidity condenses even inside sealed enclosures. That is why devices are better placed dry and accessible than sealed and in the bilge.
Related terms
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