The transformer we need may need to be located in an external cabinet depending on the system it will be used with and the environment in which it will be operated. In this case, one of the criteria to be considered will be the IP protection class.
In order to prepare and produce the transformer in accordance with the environmental conditions in which it will be used, it will be necessary to pay attention to the IP protection class specified in the specifications and technical specifications. IP protection class is one of the important issues in product selection. Let’s try to examine what the IP protection class does and what its types are in this article.
WHAT IS IP PROTECTION CLASS?
IP protection class is an international standard developed by the European Commission (CENELEC – Comité Européen de Normalization Electrotechnique) to determine the resistance of electrical devices to external factors. Electrical products must be given an IP code to indicate safe working conditions.
IP rating is a 2 or 3 digit number. However, 3rd digit is mostly not used because it is not included in IEC 60529. In order to easily express the resistance to different influences, each digit in the IP rating indicates protection against a separate impact, and the numbers in the digits indicate the degree of protection.
The meanings of the digits used in the IP Classification are as follows:
1. Protection against solid objects,
2. Protection from liquids,
3. Protection from mechanical influences (not used very often as it is not included in IEC 60529).
1.DIGIT
1. Protection against solid objects 50 mm (5 cm) in diameter: Protection against access to hazardous parts by the back of the hand, a thick pipe, stick and objects of approximately this thickness.
2. Protection against solid objects with a diameter of 12.5 mm: Protection against access to dangerous parts by fingers, the back of a fountain pen and objects of approximately this thickness.
3. Protection against solid objects with a diameter of 2.5 mm: Screwdriver, male end of an average cable and protection against access by objects of approximately this thickness.
4. Protection against solid objects with a diameter of 1 mm: Protection against access to dangerous parts by wire, pencil tip and objects of approximately this thickness.
5. Protection against dust: Reducing the entry of dust into hazardous areas to levels that will not harm them.
6. Dustproof: The ingress of dust is completely blocked.
2.DIGIT
1. Protection against vertically falling drops of water: Protection against vertically dripping water onto the device from the ceiling or elsewhere.
2. Enclosure Protection against drops of water falling obliquely up to 15°: Protection against rain and the like in windy weather.
3. Protection against water spray: Protection against water coming from sprinklers, fire alarm water or such angle of incidence.
4. Protection against splashing water: Protection against water splashing from the floor, dripping from the ceiling, splashing from all directions, coming from the wind.
5. Protection against splashing water: Protection against pressurized water, such as water from a hose.
6. Protection against strong jets of water: Fire hose and protection against pressurized waters of this intensity.
7. Resistance to immersion in water for less than 30 minutes: Protection against falling into water, short-term flooding.
8. Protection against the effects of continuous immersion in water: Ability to work in water for a long time.
Since IP codes in IP protection class are generally 2-digit, let’s try to examine 2-digit ones with an example.
For IP66 protection class;
– Its protection against solid objects from ‘6’ in the 1st digit is at a dustproof level,
– From the ‘6’ in digit 2, we understand that its protection against liquids is at the level of protection against strong water jets.