Dear Simon,
Protecting electrical equipment within an enclosure is extremely important to ensuring reliable, long term operation. Ingress protection (IP) ratings define the levels of sealing effectiveness that electrical enclosures can offer against intrusion from foreign bodies, such as dirt, and moisture. The first number of the IP rating describes the degree of protection from foreign bodies, with dust tight IP6X being the most common. The second digit refers to the ability to prevent moisture and water from penetrating into the structure.

To determine what IP rating is ideal for your selected application, you should look at the surrounding environment to determine what could pose a threat to your electrical equipment. If the enclosure will be exposed to normal levels of air humidity and rarely to water droplets or splashed, you can select solutions where the second digit is low. Conversely, if the product needs to withstand high-pressure jets or immersion in water, you will need a particularly robust enclosure as well as any associated components, such as connectors.

To learn more about IP ratings and the functional protective elements within an enclosure, watch our video: https://youtu.be/nektIAD2ROk
Spelsberg offers a broad range of enclosures to address different IP requirements, including solutions that can offers complete protection from water ingress, even when permanently submerged in depths of up to 15 metres. The ratings are certified in our in-house testing laboratory, in accordance with VDE standards. For further information on our IP protection testing capabilities and procedures, visit: https://www.spelsberg.co.uk/customising/testing-laboratory/ip-protection-testing/
If you have additional questions on IP rating or have specific requirements for your intended application, please feel free to send me a private message to discuss them.

Regards,
Chris