Product category:
Floor-Standing Racks, Cabinets and Enclosures
News Release from: Sarel
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 18 September 2002
Enclosure users misread IP ratings
Brian O'Donoghue, chairman of the GAMBICA enclosures group, reports that there is widespread confusion among enclosure users about the meaning and scope of the widely used IP rating system.
Brian O'Donoghue, strategic marketing manager of Sarel, and chairman of the GAMBICA enclosures group, reports that there is widespread confusion among enclosure users about the meaning and scope of the widely used IP (ingress protection) rating system Although this system was only ever intended to indicate how effective a particular enclosure was in protecting against the entry of solids or liquids, it appears that many users are attempting to interpret the ratings more widely and, as a result, are disappointed by what they perceive to be shortcomings in the products they have purchased
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 16 Jun 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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"All of the companies in the GAMBICA enclosures group receive calls from unhappy users complaining that, for example, they've used an IP66 enclosure, which protects against water jets, but it's started to go rusty", said O'Donoghue.
"The clear implication is that they believe that the IP rating suggests that the enclosure will not rust or corrode when exposed to water.
This is, however, a totally incorrect interpretation of the IP rating system".
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"In reality, the IP rating says nothing about the ability of a particular enclosure to resist corrosion", continued O'Donoghue.
"The rating only tells the user that, when new, the enclosure will protect against the ingress of water and solids to the extent stated".
To avoid this confusion, it is suggested that enclosure users should remember that IP stands for ingress protection, and that the IP rating system gives no information whatsoever about any of the enclosure's other characteristics.
Users requiring enclosures which will withstand corrosion when used in demanding conditions are encouraged to check the data supplied by the enclosure manufacturer for explicit statements about corrosion-resistance.
Alternatively, all companies represented in the GAMBICA enclosures group will be pleased to provide advice on selecting appropriate products for use in applications of all types, including those which involve difficult operating environments.
GAMBICA is the trade association for the instrumentation, control and automation industry in the UK, and the GAMBICA enclosures group currently has 14 members.
The work of the group covers general-purpose IP-rated enclosures for electrical and electronic equipment, manufactured from mild steel, stainless steel, plastic, GRP and aluminium, along with mounting accessories and internal fittings.
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