New harmonized color code

Old color code

 

New color code:

NEMA Ratings and IP Equivalency Chart

NEMA Rating	IP Equivalent	NEMA Definition	IP Definition
1	IP10	Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment and to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt	1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 50mm in diameter and greater	0 = Not Protected
2	IP11	Enclosures constructed for indoor used to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment, to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, and to provide a degree of protection against dripping and light splashing of liquids	1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 50mm in diameter and greater	1 = Protected against vertically falling water drops
3	IP54	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor used to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to proved a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, and windblown dust; and that will undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted.
3R	IP14	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor used to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, and snow; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure	1 = Protected against vertically falling water drops	4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted.
3S	IP54	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, and windblown dust; and in which the external mechanism(s) remain operable when ice laden.	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted.
4	IP66	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, and hose-directed water; and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	6 = Protected against strong jets of water from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted.
4X	IP66	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, hose-directed water, and corrosion; and that will be undamaged by thee external formation of ice on the enclosure	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	6 = Protected against strong jets of water from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted.
5	IP52	Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against settling airborne dust, lint, fibers, and flyings; and to provide a degree of protection against dripping and light splashing of liquids.	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical.
6	IP67	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against hose-directed water and the entry of water during occasional temporary submersion at a limited depth; and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.	6 = Totally protected against dust	7 = Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m. Duration of test 30 minutes.
6P	IP67	Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to the personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against hose-directed water and the entry of water during prolonged submersion at a limited depth; and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure	6 = Totally protected against dust	7 = Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m. Duration of test 30 minutes.
12 and 12K	IP52	Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flying; and against dripping and light splashing of liquids	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical.
13	IP54	Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings; and against the spraying, splashing, and seepage of water, oil, and noncorrosive coolants.	5 = Protected against dust - Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit)	4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions - Limited to ingress permitted.

 

IP Codes in accordance with IEC 529 & UL

There are several different uses of IP Codes, as described in IEC 529. IP Codes can have the following arrangement:

·         First character only, such as IP 3X

·         Second character only, such as IP X4

·         Both characters, such as IP 34

The first character indicates the degree of protection against the ingress of solid foreign objects. First character definitions are as follows:

0 - Non-protected

1 - Protected against solid foreign objects of 50 mm diameter and greater

2 - Protected against solid foreign objects of 12.5 mm diameter and greater

3 - Protected against solid foreign objects of 2.5 mm diameter and greater

4 - Protected against solid foreign objects of 1.0 mm diameter and greater

5 - Dust-protected

6 - Dust-tight

The second character of the IP Code indicates the degree of protection against the ingress of water with harmful effects. Second-character definitions are as follows:

0 - Non-protected

1 - Protected against vertically falling water drops

2 - Protected against vertically falling water drops as the enclosure is tilted 15 degrees

3 - Protected against spraying water

4 - Protected against splashing water

5 - Protected against water jetting

6 - Protected against powerful water jetting

7 - Protected against temporary immersion

8 - Protected against continuous immersion

UL sample requirements

Some UL testing chambers are limited in size. Please note that these size restrictions apply only for the tests specified below. If your sample will not fit into the test chambers, a smaller prototype may be used as long as the same type of hinges, gaskets, and other mechanisms are used at the same pressures.

·         IP 5X/6X -- Sample must fit into dust chamber measuring 3-1/2 ft. wide by 3 ft. tall by 7 ft. long. The door to the chamber measures 2 ft. by 3-1/2 ft.

·         IP X7/X8 -- Sample must fit into container measuring 23 in. diameter by 6 ft. deep.

 

UL 508 - The UL Safety Standard for Industrial Control Equipment

Industrial Control Equipment is a term commonly used to represent discrete components ranging from selector switches, relays, contactors, motor starters, timers, pilot lights, to complex system of these components. It encompasses more than 30 different product categories and 100 different devices (See Figure1).

 

Figure 1: Examples of industrial control devices covered by UL 508
Industrial Control Devices	Examples
Motor starters and controllers	Including manual, magnetic, and solid-state starters and controllers
Overload relays	Including thermal, magnetic, and solid-state overload relays
Control circuit switches and relays	Including pushbutton stations, selector switches, time-delay relays and pilot lights
Switches	Including float, flow, pressure, vacuum-operated, mercury-tube and proximity switches
Autotransformers, resistors and rheostats	Variable voltage and motor starting
Programmable controllers	Including numerical control systems and industrial microprocessor/computer systems

 

Industrial Control Equipment is used extensively in industrial applications including starting, stopping, regulating, controlling, reversing, changing speed, or protecting electric motors. Components for motor control are installed primarily in control panels, motor control centers, industrial machines as well as energy distribution assemblies. Industrial Control Equipment is required to be designed, built and evaluated for their function and safety in compliance with an established National / International standard. UL 508, covers the safety requirements for Industrial Control Equipment.