# What is IP rating ? Why to use IP rating?

**URL:** <https://forumautomation.com/t/what-is-ip-rating-why-to-use-ip-rating/1014>\
**Category:** Electrical\
**Tags:** interviewquestions\
**Created:** [April 28, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://forumautomation.com/t/what-is-ip-rating-why-to-use-ip-rating/1014 "2016-04-28T00:31:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![denizen](https://forumautomation.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@denizen](https://forumautomation.com/u/denizen)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://forumautomation.com/t/what-is-ip-rating-why-to-use-ip-rating/1014/1 "2016-04-28T00:31:48Z")

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IP rating -

When designing a system we need to make certain the product selected is reliable with a long life.Part of that process is determining if the product is appropriate for the application environment. But what are some of the requirements ? Water proof,Dust-tight.This descriptions need to be quantified. This is what IP ratings provide.

IP - Ingress protection International standard, Easily defined, Put measurable,testable numbers behind ratings.

What do the number mean ?

Refer the image for more details about IP rating.

First number is protection against solids.

 ![IP rating - First number is protection against solids](https://cdn.forumautomation.com/original/1X/642a2292d80b99f4d2f02b34025c2a53b551b804.jpg)

Second number is protection against liquids.

 ![IP rating - Second number is protection against liquid](https://cdn.forumautomation.com/original/1X/a0530a44cccfed02e9c3b491e59a488d8cee2ae7.jpg)

How to compare IP rating to NEMA rating ?

There is no direct equivalence of IP rating to NEMA rating. However the following table shows the relation of IP to NEMA ratings.NEMA codes also addresses corrosion resistance.

![IP rating and NEMA rating relation](https://cdn.forumautomation.com/original/1X/f797680464027ea2566ec0b2c335e822a090bb26.jpg)