It is important when installing any lighting products that the IP rating is suitable for the application. In a nutshell, ingress protection (IP) is an international standard for classifying the degree of protection provided against intrusion (body parts such as hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water.

Any fixture that is used in a bathroom, garden or wet environment should have an IP rating that is sufficient enough to stop the ingress of dust and water.

An IP rating consists of two digits. The first digit represents protection against the ingress of solid objects i.e. dust. The second digit represents protection against the ingress of liquids i.e. water. The higher the value of either digit, the greater the protection.

IP Ratings for Indoor Lights

IP20 – (Ordinary)
An IP20 rating makes the LED light suitable for all indoor dry applications, such as offices, retail shops, bedrooms and living rooms.

IP40 – (Not waterproof)
An IP40 rating will prevent insects from getting into the lights, but there is no protection from moisture.

IP Ratings for Outdoor Lights

IP44 (Splash Proof)
IP44-rated lights are suitable for bathrooms and applications exposed to water spray.

IP54 (Dust Proof, Splash Proof)
IP54 lights offer protection against dust and splash, making them suitable for general outdoor use or damp indoor environments.

IP64 (Dust Tight, Splash Proof)
IP64 products are fully protected against dust ingress as well as water splashes from any direction.

IP65 (Dust Tight, Jet Proof)
An IP65 rating makes the product completely dust-tight with protection against low-pressure water jets from any direction.

IP67 (Dust Tight, Watertight)
An IP67-rated light is completely protected against solid particles and can be submerged up to 1m in water for up to 30 minutes.

IP68 (Dust Tight, Pressure Watertight)
An IP68 fitting is hermetically sealed and suitable for continuous immersion in water

LED Tape IP Ratings

LED tapes, being one of the most popular LED lighting products on the market, are generally available in four IP ratings explained below. Ensuring that you use the correct level of protection will minimise safety issues and premature failure of the luminaires. For example, installing an IP20 LED tape in an external environment will result in the product failing in a very short time as the copper of the FPC, the resistors, and the LED chips are fully exposed to the elements. The same applies to any other electrical products such as LED drivers, controllers, receivers, decoders, etc.

Any electronics that are not IP-rated for external use must be situated inside a suitable IP-rated enclosure to provide adequate protection.

• IP20-rated LED tapes are for internal use only. They have no protection against dust, moisture, or water.
• IP65-rated LED tapes are suitable for internal or external installation. The luminaire is protected against dust, rain, and low-pressure water jets. IP65 LED tape is coated in a silicone gel.
• IP67-rated LED tapes are the same as IP65 but are also suitable for temporary immersion in water. IP67 LED tapes are enclosed in a silicone tube.
• IP68-rated LED tapes are the same as IP67 but are suitable for permanent immersion in water to a depth of 1m. IP68 LED tapes have the silicone material extruded over the tape itself in a single solid piece. This makes the product more durable.