The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC standard 60529) developed this rating. It’s akin to the British standard EN 60529. What the IP rating does on a security camera (and all electronic equipment) is classify and rate the degree of real protection (intrusion) it has against outside solids and liquids in various forms.
All the protection factors include defense against the following:
Body parts (hands and fingers)
Dust
Accidental contact
Water by mechanical casings
Electrical enclosures
The Ingress Protection rating consists of just two numbers. Let’s take a rating of IP67 to illustrate.
The first number “6” indicates the level of dust resistance (solid particles)
The last number “7” indicates the level of water resistance (spraying, dripping, submersion)
It’s that simple. The first number is always the dust resistance and the second number the water resistance. The dust resistance goes from a scale of 0-6 with 6 being the most resilient. That means in our example, the device would have the maximum protection against dust. The water resistance goes from a scale of 0-9 with 9 being the most resilient. So in our example above, the device is well-protected but it’s not 100 percent resistant against water. It’s not bad, but it’s not perfect.
IP first digit rating (solid protection):
0 – Denotes zero protection
1 – Protection from solid objects greater than 50mm in diameter
2 – Protection from fingers or any objects less than 80mm long and 12mm in diameter
3 – Protection from wires, tools, etc., greater than 1.0mm in diameter
4 – Protection from solid objects entering more than 1.0mm in thickness or diameter
5 – Protection from quantity of dust that could interfere with the with the equipment’s operation
6 – 100 percent dust tight
IP second digit rating (moisture protection):
0 – unprotected
1 – protection from water droplets
2 – protection from water that drips vertically
3 – protection from water spray
4 – protection from water splashes
5 – Protection from water propelled from a spout or nozzle
6 – Protection against heavy seas and strong surges of water
7 – Protection against water immersion
8 – Protection against constant immersion in water
9 – Protection against high pressured close-range spray downs at high temperatures
Our example of IP67 translates to a device that is 100 percent dust tight and waterproof up to a point, i.e. by dropping the device for a short period under water.
Why this Rating?
The aim of this standard is to provide additional and more detailed information to users. It came about to fill the blanks of the often vague marketing terms like “weatherproof” or “waterproof.” Both of these terms are shallow in meaning and can be misinterpreted. They don’t specify precisely what the device is weatherproof or waterproof against, i.e. hot days, shallow pools, extremes, or whatever. So the IP rating helps us to select a product that is reliable and likely to have a long life. With regards to outdoor security cameras we need a much higher IP rating than say an indoor system.
What Rating Do You Need?
OK, so based on the above, the rating you should look for in your outdoor security cameras should be somewhere around IP65-67. Here’s a breakdown on how I’ve come to this conclusion:
44 or less – indoor only
44-45 – indoor/outdoor, but only if under sheltered areas (weather resistant)
65-67 – indoors or outdoors (weatherproof)
68 – Underwater, usually reserved for boats (submersible)