What is IP or IK on your electrical equipment?

Published on : 2024-02-12 - Categories : Events

Are you a professional looking for reliable, safe lighting for yourself or your staff? So you're looking for the best possible IP or IK... But first of all, what are IP and IK? What's the difference between IP and Ik?

Following on from our previous article on ATEX standards(read it here), find out what these two indices mean in the rest of this article.

What is the IP index? What's it for?

The IP or International Protection rating is an international classification system used to indicate the resistance of a product according to two main criteria. In our case, of course, we're talking about lighting accessories.

The IP consists of two digits: IPXX

The first of these two numbers corresponds to light protection against solid objects (e.g. dust).
The second number refers to the product's water resistance to liquids (e.g. water).

Depending on your activities or the use of your lamps, you can therefore determine the right IP.

IK, a very different index from IP

Now you're wondering what the IK index is and how it might influence your choice of lamp?

The IK index is known for determining your light's resistance to mechanical shock. In physics, a mechanical shock is one that occurs when two bodies collide.

Once again, depending on your activity, your lamp needs to have a greater or lesser IK for the safety of the person using it, but also of those around him or her.

Which IP to choose?

Let's take a look at all the possible classifications of your IP rating to help you select your lamp or lighting accessory.

Here is a summary:

For the first part of the index :

IP0x	No protection
IP1x	Protection against solid objects (> 50 mm Ø) - Surface contact (e.g. back of hand)
IP2x	Protection against solid objects (>12 mm Ø) or small body parts (e.g. fingers)
IP3x	Protection against solid objects (>2.5 mm Ø), small objects (e.g. tools, screwdrivers)
IP4x	Protection against solid objects (>1 mm Ø), very small objects (paper clip)
IP5x	Protection against harmful dust inside products (small quantities)
IP6x	Total protection against dust inside products.

For the second part of the index :

IPx0	No protection
IPx1	Protection against vertical water drops
IPx2	Droplet protection (15° inclination)
IPx3	Rain protection (60° inclination)
IPx4	Splash protection
IPx5	Protection against water jets
IPx6	Wave protection
IPx7	Protection against immersion
IPx8	Protection against flooding
IPx9	Protection against high-pressure cleaning

IK summary :

00	Material not protected against impact.
01	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 0.15 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 150 g mass from a height of 10 cm)
02	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 0.2 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 200 g mass from a height of 10 cm)
03	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 0.35 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 250 g mass from a height of 15 cm)
04	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 0.5 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 350 g mass from a height of 20 cm)
05	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 0.7 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 350 g mass from a height of 20 cm)
06	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 1 Joule (shock equivalent to the fall of a 250 g mass from a height of 40 cm)
07	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 2 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 0.5 kg mass from a height of 40 cm)
08	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 5 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 1.25 kg mass from a height of 40 cm)
09	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 10 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 2.5 kg mass from a height of 40 cm)
10	Equipment protected against an impact energy of 20 Joules (shock equivalent to the fall of a 5 kg mass from a height of 40 cm)

Example: An IK08 flashlight is fairly shock-resistant, so it won't be damaged.

Where can I find products with an IP or IK rating that meets my needs?

To conclude, you'll find various lighting products on our website with very different IP and IK ratings, so it's up to you to see what suits you and select the light or lamp best suited to your working environment.

Prolutech products are professional LED lighting products, rechargeable or not, so it's up to you to find the best one for you.

If you're interested in any of them, contact us to be put in touch with a sales representative.

There are 2 ways of doing this: write to us at info@prolutech.com or call 04 50 46 80 81.

You can also take a look at our website: www.prolutech.com