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What are IP ratings and what do they mean for your fixtures? Ultimately, they identify how much protection your gear has against dust and liquids. In this article, you'll find helpful tips to understand IP ratings and which might be the best for the environment you're working in. Let's dive in.
What is an IP rating?
An IP rating, or Ingress Protection rating, has two digits. The first digit indicates how well the fixture is protected against solid objects like dust or tools. For example, a rating of 2 tells you it’s protected against fingers and similarly sized objects. A 5 means it is protected against dust and 6 means it’s vacuum sealed.
The second digit of an IP code indicates the level of liquid protection. This is especially helpful information if you are using a fixture outside where it could rain. A liquid protection rating of 1 indicates the item is only protected against vertically falling drops of water, while an 8 rating means it's protected against the effects of water immersion under pressure for long periods of time.
Let's look at an IP65 rating. The 6 tells you that the fixture is vacuum sealed. The 5 tells you it’s protected against jets of water from any direction, meaning you can consider this weather-proof.
Pros and Cons of different IP ratings
It's tempting to think the higher the IP rating, the better the fixture for your application, but that might not necessarily be the case. Let’s run through a few different IP ratings and why the may or may not be the right choice for your production.
An IP20 rating has no water protection and only protects against solids greater than 12.5 millimeters in size, such as a finger. You wouldn’t want to use an IP20 fixture outside, but it might be perfect for an indoor setting. An IP20 rating often means a simpler design for service and maintenance, while having greater air flow throughout the fixture. With more simple maintenance, these fixtures will likely take less time to service.
An IP54 rating means the fixture is protected against dust and splashing water from all directions. These fixtures are not completely dust proof, but the lack of a vacuum seal means air, condensation, and humidity can move in and out of the fixture without getting trapped inside. And, you still can use the fixture in settings where it could rain.
An IP65 rating indicates the fixture is vacuum sealed, making it totally dust-tight and protected against the rain. However, humidity and outgassing from components can’t get out of the fixture due to the vacuum seal. After servicing these fixtures, the tech has to reinstate the vacuum seal, which can be a time-consuming process.
The ETC approach to IP ratings
When it comes to our products, ETC never takes a one-size-fits-all approach. Each solution is carefully designed with the customer and venue in mind. The IP rating of each fixture is a result of our design team balancing durability, usability, and cost to best meet our customers' needs.
Take MegaPix and GigaPix for example. These fixtures comes with an IP54 rating to deliver high performance capabilities in an outdoor setting, while simplifying maintenance needs.
Take apart these pixel wash fixtures and you'll find IP65-rated fans, heat sinks for cooling, and a bellow system to maximize performance in rainy settings. Those interior bellows prevent water from getting into the housing, with no need for a glass plate to cover the fixture lens, so you can count on a clean, beautiful aesthetic from the fixture face.
MegaPix and GigaPix are intricately designed to move air through the yoke arms and the passthrough over the fixture head. This circulation of air reduces a common challenge in automated fixtures: outgassing. With a vacuum-sealed fixture, the gas released when interior components heat up and cool down can get trapped inside the fixture, often settling on the glass lens.
With the IP54 rating, MegaPix and GigaPix are a great choice for temporary outdoor use, like a festival setting. Users get all the benefits of simple maintenance and stunning looks, while trusting that the fixtures is weather-proof.
Whether you're working indoors or outdoors, understanding IP ratings helps you make the right choices for your production. Looking for more resources about IP ratings? Watch the video below and share it with your colleagues!
