IP Ratings Explained: Powering Kit in Damp, Dusty or Outdoor Places

Put a standard open-frame supply in a damp or dusty spot and it will not last. The IP (Ingress Protection) rating tells you what an enclosure can keep out, and matching it to the environment is the difference between a unit that lasts years and one that fails in weeks.

Reading the two digits

• First digit — solids/dust (0–6). A 6 means fully dust-tight.
• Second digit — water (0–9). 5 = water jets, 7 = temporary immersion, 8 = continuous immersion.

So IP20 is finger-safe but otherwise open (a control cabinet), IP65 is dust-tight and washdown-proof, and IP67 survives a brief dunking.

Matching it to the job

• Inside a sealed cabinet — IP20 is fine; the cabinet does the sealing.
• Signage, outdoor LED, washdown areas — IP65 or better, potted against moisture.
• Submerged or buried — IP67/IP68.

Remember that a sealed supply cannot use a fan, so it sheds heat through its case — check the derating at your ambient.

Tell us where it is going and we will find a supply with the right ingress rating.