The Mystery Of Your Camera’s IP Rating Solved!

When selecting a security camera system, one of the things you need to look at is the IP (Ingress Protection) rating of the cameras you are interested in. But what exactly is an IP rating and how can you tell what rating is the best for your needs? Well, let’s take a look into the mystery of IP ratings for security cameras.

What Is An IP Rating?

The term IP rating can be confusing for some, especially considering that some digital security cameras are categorized as IP network cameras. The IP in that sense has nothing to do with an IP rating. The IP rating stands for the camera’s International Protecting Rating or Ingress Protecting Rating. An IP network camera is a camera that takes advantage of Internet Protocol to transmit its video signals over the internet or a network.

A camera’s IP rating is based on the international standard 60529 from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The rating “describes a system for classifying the degrees of protection provided by an enclosure.” It is important that you understand that IEC 60529 is not a product standard and does not cover enclosure requirements aside from the degree of protection provided.

What Do The IP Numbers And Letters Mean?

An IP rating typically has 2 numbers that represent the level of protection and, sometimes, a letter. The IP rating can be looked at as an exact classification of the degree of protection the security camera has against solids and/or liquids and is usually represented as “IP65” or “IP65M”. So what do the numbers mean?

Well, the first number represents the level of protection provided by the camera’s enclosure against solid objects. The first number ranges from 0, meaning no protection, to 6, meaning the highest level or protection. The second number represents the level of protection the camera provides against water. The second number ranges from 0, meaning no protection, to 8, meaning the highest possible protection level against water. We’ve created this handy infographic to let you know precisely what each number represents protection-wise.

The following letters represent the type of protection the camera has against access to parts by human tampering:

• A – Back of Hand
• B – Finger
• C – Tool
• D – Wire

These letters are sometimes used in addition to the other letters and numbers and represent additional forms of protection. The letters used are:

• F – Oil Resistant
• H – High Voltage Device
• M – Device Moving During Water Test
• S – Device Standing Still During Water Test
• W – Weather Conditions

What IP Rating Is Right For Me?

This question depends entirely on your specific needs and where your security cameras will be. If your security cameras are inside of a building, like monitoring your bar or your cash register, then you won’t really need a very high IP rating. High IP ratings are good for extreme weather conditions, like extreme heat or extreme cold.

Places that have high winds also require cameras with a good IP rating as the wind can blow many foreign objects, including dust, at the camera. If you are in an area that has heavy rainfall then you will want a camera that has an IP rating with a high second number. The higher the second number, the better the protection from water.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an educated consumer is a happy consumer. For more information call your friendly professionals at CameraSecurityNow at 800-440-1662 or visit us online at CameraSecurityNow.com!

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