I’ll keep it as simple as possible. An IP rating stands for “Ingress Protection.” It is a level of protection in electronic devices against the intrusion of solid objects and liquids such as dust, water, sweat, splashes, and other particles.
IP ratings provide protection against liquids and hard particles such as dust and other particles. An IP rating has two numbers. The number corresponds to the IP address (Ingress Protection). The first number represents protection from solid or hard particles, and the second represents the Liquid’s protection level. IP53, IP54, IP67, and IP568 are a few examples. We’ll talk more about these ratings and their potential if we submerge the device in water or another liquid.
Protection against solids
An IP rating’s first digit is a number that indicates how well an object is protected against solids, with 0 providing no protection and 6 providing the greatest level of protection.
Solid protection can denote a level from 1 to 6, while liquid protection denotes a level from 1 to 8. Let’s put it all down in a list.
A list for Solid Particles:
| Level 1 | >50mmExp: A hand that can’t insert in a mobile |
| Level 2 | >12.5mmExp: Such as finger and 10N force |
| Level 3 | >2.5mmExm: Such as a screwdriver or and 3N force |
| Level 4 | >1mm |
| Level 5 | Dust Protected |
| Level 6 | Dust Tight (No ingress of Dust Particles) |
Protection against liquids
The second number in an IP rating is a number that shows how well it protects against liquids. This number ranges from 0 (no protection) to 9K (the most protection).
A list for Liquid:
| Level 1 | Drops falling vertically while dripping water shouldn’t cause any harm. |
| Level 2 | When the unit is tilted at an angle of up to 15° from its normal position, vertically dripping water shouldn’t cause any harm. |
| Level 3 | Sprays of water falling at any angle up to 60° from vertical shall not cause any harm. |
| Level 4 | Any direction of water splashing against the enclosure shall not be harmful. |
| Level 5 | Water projected from any direction by a nozzle (6.3mm) against the enclosure shall have no harmful effects. |
| Level 6 | Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) from any direction against the enclosure shall have no harmful effects. |
| Level 7 | When the enclosure is immersed in water under specified pressure and time conditions, harmful water ingress is not permitted (up to 1 m of submersion). |
| Level 8 | Immersion depths greater than 1m |
You can learn deep knowledge from here.
The regular Rating:
| IP69 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from steam-jet cleaning. |
| IP68 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from long-term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP67 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from immersion between 15 centimetres and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP66 | Solid – protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP65 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP64 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP63 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
| IP62 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical. |
| IP61 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from condensation. |
| IP60 | Solid – Protected from total dust ingress.Liquid – Not protected from liquids. |
| IP58 | Solid – Protected from limited dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from long-term immersion up to a specified pressure. |
| IP57 | Solid – Protected from limited dust ingress. Liquid – Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. |
| IP56 | Solid – Protected from limited dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP55 | Solid – Protected from limited dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction. |
| IP54 | Solid – Protected from limited dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from water spray from any direction. |
| IP53 | Solid – Protected from limited dust ingress.Liquid – Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical. |
These regular ratings come with the latest devices like mobile, earphones, and smartwatches. But if you want to know more about IP ratings, visit this site.
Difference between water resistance and waterproofing?
A product’s ability to partially but not completely withstand water penetration is referred to as “water resistance. “waterproof” means it will remain impermeable regardless of how long it is submerged in water.
Water resistant vs Waterproof
There are big differences between waterproof and water-resistant materials. Water won’t completely ruin things that are water resistant. Once exposed for some time or when put under some pressure. In a nutshell, “water resistant” refers to a product’s partial, if not complete, resistance to water penetration. Contrarily, “waterproof” technically denotes something impermeable regardless of how long it is submerged in water.
What is ATM in IP rating?
ATM full form is atmospheres. In water-resistant devices, the term “atmospheres” refers to the maximum pressure a watch can withstand. In essence, this is a measurement of pressure rather than depth. For instance, 5 ATM can withstand pressure at approximately 50 meters (164 feet) below the water’s surface.
What is a 5ATM rating?
The terms “ATM ” and “IP”” are the most important considerations in electronic gadgets and devices. It is most important in smartwatches and swimming gadgets. We’ll start with 5 ATM. “ATM” refers to “atmospheres,” typically measured in meters. ATM is the amount of pressure that a device can take.
Some examples of different ATM ratings;
3-5 ATM rating: It can withstand water splashes, rain, and maybe even showering. It can withstand water pressure equivalent to 50 meters but shouldn’t be fully submerged.
10 ATM rating: It can handle swimming, snorkeling, and maybe even scuba diving.
20 ATM rating: It can handle deep diving.
30 ATM and above: If you are a professional and regularly dive into the pool or the ocean, it is suitable for professional diving or saturation diving.
IP68 VS 5ATM Rating
If you have a mobile phone, smartwatch, or any electronic device with an IP68 rating, you can sink it into the water, and it won’t get damaged. The IP68 rating makes it dust-tight and can withstand fully submerged water over one meter deep.
If you have a smartwatch with 5 ATM, you can dive under 50 meters. 5 ATM ensures safety and is equivalent to a water pressure of 50 meters underwater.
A difference between IP68 and 5ATM!
| IP Rating | Depth | Time/Duration |
| IP68 | 1.5 Meters | 30 Min |
| 5ATM | 50 Meters | 10 Min |
5ATM Vs IP68 what is superior?
5ATM clearly outperforms IP68 in terms of water resistance. You can submerge your device in water for up to 30 minutes if it is 5 ATM rated. At the same time, an IP68-rated electronic device can be submerged in water for less than 1.5 meters. As a result, 5 ATM is superior.
ATM ratings:
| ATM Rating | Depth | Suitable for |
| 1 ATM | 0 | Don’t put it into the water |
| 3 ATM | 30 meters | splashes, rain or snow, showering, jumping into the water |
| 5 ATM | 50 meters | splashes, rain or snow, showering, swimming, diving into the water, snorkeling |
| 10 ATM | 100 meters | splashes, rain or snow, showering, swimming, diving into the water, snorkeling, high-speed water sports |
| 15 ATM | 150 meters | Suitable for all high-impact water sports, scuba-diving, and saturation diving. |
| 20 ATM | 200 meters | Suitable for all high-impact water sports, scuba diving and saturation diving. |
| 30 ATM | 300 meters | Suitable for all high-impact water sports, scuba diving and saturation diving. |
FAQ – What is the IP rating
What do the IP ratings mean?
The terms “Ingress Protection” (abbreviated as “IP”) and the subsequent numbers (i.e., “IP53,” “IP67,” “IP68,” etc.) refer to the degree of defense provided by a product against the entry of the two categories of foreign particles, both solid and Liquid (water).
What IP rating is waterproof?
Yes, it demonstrates the measurement of a device’s capacity to control the external bodies that it may be affected by. It can be both solid and liquid.
What does the IP40 rating mean?
Tools and small wires larger than 1 millimeter are protected by IP40. Unable to withstand liquids.
What is ATM in water rating?
The amount of pressure water can withstand is measured in ATM, or “atmosphere.” 5ATM can withstand underwater pressures comparable to those found at 50 meters (164 feet).
Can I shower with a 5ATM watch?
Yes, you can take a shower with 5 ATM-rated devices even if you can swim on the surface in a pool but don’t go much inside the pool.
What is a 10 ATM IP rating?
10 ATM can withstand pressures equivalent to a depth of 100 meters.
