IP66 Rating
IP66 is an Ingress Protection rating defined by the international standard IEC 60529. The first digit, six, indicates complete protection against the ingress of dust, making the enclosure dust tight. The second digit, six, indicates protection against powerful water jets projected from any direction, such as heavy rain, wash down or sea spray.
Key Takeaways
IP66 describes an enclosure that is completely dust tight and resistant to powerful water jets.
The rating is defined by IEC 60529, the international ingress protection standard.
The first digit covers solid particle protection and the second covers liquid ingress.
IP66 suits outdoor and wash down environments but does not certify protection against immersion.
Ingress Protection ratings use two digits to describe how well an enclosure resists solids and liquids. In IP66 the first digit of six confirms a dust tight seal, and the second digit of six confirms resistance to high pressure water jets from any direction.
Under IEC 60529 the dust test confirms that no dust enters the enclosure, while the water test directs a defined volume of water through a nozzle at the device from multiple angles. The product must continue to operate correctly afterwards.
Rugged tablets, panel PCs and handhelds rated to IP66 are well suited to construction sites, outdoor utilities work, food production wash down areas and vehicle mounted use where heavy water exposure is likely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete dust ingress and powerful water jets from any direction, but not immersion in water.
IP66 is highly water resistant against jets and heavy rain, but it is not rated for submersion. Immersion requires IP67 or IP68.
The International Electrotechnical Commission standard IEC 60529, known in Europe as EN 60529.
For water protection yes, because it withstands more powerful jets. Both provide complete dust protection.
From Theory to Application
Now that you've mastered the specs, get the gear that survives them.
