GUIDE TO THE
‘IP’ CODES FOR
ENCLOSURES

Third Edition

DEGREE OF PROTECTION
BS EN 60529: 1992 (IEC 529 1989)

The Electrical Installation Equipment Manufacturers' Association

INTRODUCTION TO EIEMA

T

he Electrical Installation Equipment Manufacturers’ Association is an independent, incorporated Association of manufacturers of electrical installation equipment

whose roots go back to the early days of the electrotechnical industry. In 1972 EIEMA
Limited was formed from the Electrical Installation Equipment Department of BEAMA
– The British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers’ Association.
EIEMA has 45 members ranging from companies which are the UK Divisions of large multinational companies to small owner managed niche market companies. EIEMA is organised into four Product Groups as follows:

• Single Phase Product Group (SPPG)
Wiring Accessories, MCBs, RCDs, Power Track, Consumer Units.

• Industrial Products Group (IPG)
Fuses, Distribution Boards (standard), Switch & Fusegear, MCCBs (as well as MCBs and RCDs), ACBs, Industrial Plugs and Sockets.

• Engineered Product Systems Group (EPSG)
Low Voltage Switchboards, Busduct products.

• Cutout & Feeder Pillar Group (COFP)
Cutouts, Feeder Pillars.
The benefits of membership fall into two broad categories which are representation and access to Association services. The main areas in which the Association represents its members are in legislative and standardisation matters. The former is done both directly by established relationships with appropriate Government or EU departments in London and Brussels, and through BEAMA and various European manufacturers’ groups.
Active participation in the work of numerous national, international and European standards committees has provided the background and support to ensure safety and performance for the design, development and manufacture of EIEMA members’ products. The result is quality equipment of the highest standard throughout each group of the Association.
Other services offered by the Association include legal, statistics and export support.
In addition the Association is a channel for liaison with customer associations such as the
Electrical Distributors' Association (EDA) and the Electrical Contractors' Association
(ECA).
Acknowledgements
EIEMA would like to thank: IEC and BSI for allowing references to their standards.

CONTENTS

Section

Page

An Introduction to EIEMA
Preface
1

Introduction

2

Scope

3

Object

4

Designations

5

Selection

6

IP Codes

7

Weatherproof applications

8

Drainage holes

9

Ventilated equipment

10

Empty enclosures

11

Typical examples

This publication is available at £10 plus postage and packing.

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3
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11
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PREFACE

T

he object of this guide is to provide an easily understood document, aiding interpretation of the requirements for enclosure protection related to EIEMA

products.
Principally, these requirements are detailed in BS EN 60529:1992 (IEC 60529:1989 second edition) which defines the degrees of protection provided by enclosures classified under the International Protection (IP) Code and the test conditions required to meet these classifications. This guide should be read in conjunction with those documents. Readers should note, the requirements in the Standard call for comparative tests and these bear no actual relationship to specific weather or corrosive conditions.
The guide seeks to provide a simplified understanding of the standard, accompanied by some typical examples as foreseen for the general products available from EIEMA
IP1X 50.0mm dia sphere
– no penetration

member Companies. As BS EN 60529 is a document covering a wide range of equipment, only those sections relevant to EIEMA products are covered.
Certain additional information has been included having regard to the particular considerations