ISO 20653 IP Code Testing for Road Vehicles
ISO 20653 testing determines the degrees of protection provided by enclosures of electrical equipment on road vehicles against foreign objects. Foreign objects are defined in ISO 20653 as dust, access and water. ISO 20653 is harmonized with the International Protection Code, also known as the IP Code, by having codes with two numbers followed by two optional letters. In the IP Code, the first number signifies the degree of protection the enclosure provides against solid objects. The second number signifies the degree of protection against water.
The ISO 20653 test standard specifies the testing requirements based on the type of vehicle and mounting location of the device. The types of vehicles include:
- Passenger vehicles.
- Motor buses as well as commercial vehicles; special vehicles and road tractors and relevant trailers.
- Agricultural tractors and relevant trailers
- Motorcycles
- Vehicles for special purposes
Some examples of the mounting positions spelled out in ISO-20653 include the passenger compartment, engine compartment covered, engine compartment exposed and eternal attachment. The specific test requirements range from dripping water to splashing water, to spraying water to high-velocity water. Each device’s requirement is determined by the mounting position.
Why is Keystone Compliance the right IP Code lab to complete your ingress testing? Our customers enjoy our short lead times, ability to explain the process and testing requirements, consultative engineering support when failures occur and affordable pricing. It is what has made us one of the fastest growing companies in the country and most respected test labs in the region. Contact us to receive a quote for ingress protection testing, especially ISO 20653 testing and see why we are the only ingress protection lab for so many manufacturers from around the country.
Please contact us with your next ISO 20653 ingress protection test to learn why hundreds of manufacturers work with Keystone Compliance on an annual basis to achieve their regulatory compliance test needs.
The remainder of this page outlines the different tests parameters located in the ISO 20653 standard:
| Overview of All IP Code Elements and Meaning | |||
| Element | IP | Meaning of the protection of electrical equipment | Meaning of the protection of persons |
| First Code of Element | Against foreign objects (including dust): | Against Access: | |
| 0 | Not protected | Not protected | |
| 1 | With diameter > 50 mm | With back of hand | |
| 2 | With diameter >12,5 mm | With finger | |
| 3 | With diameter > 2,5 mm | With tool | |
| 4 | With diameter > 1,0 mm | With wire | |
| 5K | Dust protected | With wire | |
| 6K | Dust tight | With wire | |
| Second Code Element | Against water: | Not applicable | |
| 0 | Not protected | ||
| 1 | Vertical water drips | ||
| 2 | Water drips (15 degrees inclination) | ||
| 3 | Water spray | ||
| 4 | Splash water | ||
| 4K | Splash water with increased pressure | ||
| 5 | High-velocity water | ||
| 6 | Strong high-velocity water | ||
| 6K | Strong high-velocity water with increased pressure | ||
| 7 | Temporary immersion | ||
| 8 | Continuous submersion | ||
| 9K | High pressure/steam-jet cleaning | ||
| Additional Letter (optional) | Not applicable | Against access (unless described by first letter) | |
| A | With back of hand | ||
| B | With finger | ||
| C | With tool | ||
| D | With wire | ||
| Supplementary Letter (optional) | M | Movement of moveable parts during water test | Not applicable |
| S | Standstill of moveable parts during water test | ||
| Degrees of Protection Against Foreign Objects | ||
| First code element | Degree of protection | |
| Brief description | Requirements | |
| 0 | Not protected | None |
| 1 | Foreign objects diameter ≥ 50 mm | Test probe with diameter 50 mm shall not penetrate completely |
| 2 | Foreign objects diameter ≥ 12,5 mm | Test probe with diameter 12,5 mm shall not penetrate completely |
| 3 | Foreign objects diameter ≥ 2,5 mm | Test probe with diameter 2,5 mm shall not penetrate completely |
| 4 | Foreign objects diameter ≥ 1,0 mm | Test probe with diameter 1,0 mm shall not penetrate completely |
| 5K | Dust | Dust shall only penetrate in quantities which do not impair performance and safety. |
| 6K | Dust | Dust shall not penetrate |
| NOTE “Shall not penetrate completely” indicates that the full diameter shall not pass through an opening of the enclosure. | ||
| Degrees of Protection Against Access | |||
| First code element | Additional letter | Degree of protection | |
| Brief description | Requirements | ||
| 0 | – | Not protected | None |
| 1 | A | Back of hand (no protection against intentional contact) | Test probe with diameter 50 mm shall not penetrate completely and maintain sufficient distance from hazardous parts. |
| 2 | B | Finger | Jointed test finger with diameter 12 mm may penetrate completely, but shall maintain a sufficient distance from hazardous parts. |
| 3 | C | Tool | Test probe with diameter 2,5 mm, 100 mm long, may penetrate completely, but shall maintain a sufficient distance from hazardous parts. |
| 4 | D | Wire | Test probe with diameter 1,0 mm, 100 mm long, may penetrate completely, but shall maintain a sufficient distance |
| 5K | D | Wire | |
| 6K | D | Wire | |
| NOTE “Shall not penetrate completely” indicates that the full diameter shall not pass through an opening of the enclosure. | |||
| Degrees of protection against water | ||
| Second code element | Degree of protection | |
| Brief description | Requirements | |
| 0 | Not protected | None |
| 1 | Water drips vertically | Vertical drips shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 2 | Water drips with enclosure inclined by 15° | Vertical drips shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15° on either side of the vertical. |
| 3 | Water spray | Water spray at an angle up to 60° on either side of the vertical shall have no harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 4 | Splash water | Water which splashes against the enclosure from any direction shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 4K | Splash water with increased pressure | Water which splashes against the enclosure from any direction with increased pressure shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 5 | High-velocity water | Water which is directed against the enclosure from any direction as a jet shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 6 | Strong high-velocity water | Water which is directed against the enclosure from any direction as a strong jet shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 6K | Strong high-velocity water with increased pressure | Water which is directed against the enclosure from any direction as a strong jet with increased pressure shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |
| 7 | Temporary immersion in water | Water shall not penetrate in a quantity causing harmful effects or impair performance if the enclosure is immersed in water temporarily under specified pressure and time conditions. |
| 8 | Continuous immersion in water | Water shall not penetrate in a quantity causing harmful effects if the enclosure is continuously immersed in water under conditions which shall be agreed between supplier and car manufacturer, but which are more severe than code 7. |
| 9K | Water during high-pressure/steam-jet cleaning | Water which is directed against the enclosure from any direction shall not have any harmful effects or impair performance. |