IP Ratings for CCTV cameras are widely mentioned on the datasheets (specifications) of the CCTV cameras. Please do not confuse with IP Internet protocol. IP rating is related with the CCTV enclosures but single acronym without digits or without the suffix rating is related with the Internet & network stuff.
CCTV cameras are used at every entrance & exit, perimeters or fences or walls or traffic monitoring, and to fit on the roofs of vehicles & sometimes in underwater locations. Hence an environment & atmospheric changes have direct impact on the performance as well as life of CCTV cameras. CCTV housings have to face cold winters & hot summers, rain & dust and many more.
“IP Ratings matter”. As simple as anything that secures the site is needed to be secured first.
CCTV camera enclosures are of different types; Bullet, Dome etc & each enclosure have unique application usually called as Indoor CCTV camera or outdoor CCTV camera.
Indoor CCTV cameras are usually with acrylic plastic casing be it dome of else as indoor temperatures are fixed, dust & ambient changes are not alarming & nothing to worry much. As well the chances of vandalism are very least almost negligible. But what matters are the enclosures used for CCTV cameras for outdoor application as nothing is sure & always unpredictable, be it in terms of weather or all other environmental changes.
CCTV cameras are fitted or protected or in random made available using the special enclosures for outdoor or any specific applications keeping all environmental factors in mind. Now a day’s CCTV cameras come with bullet shape housings with all necessary electronics to compensate temperature changes built-in. We, often call the enclosures as weatherproof housings.
IP ratings or Ingress Protection ratings decide the suitability of the CCTV enclosure for particular location as it indicates the degree of protection. These codes are devised on the basis of International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) 60529 standards. In general, IP or Ingress Protection ratings are the environmental protection ratings used worldwide.
IP ratings actually are designated with two digits indicating the solid & liquid. For sake of understanding, we can write it as IP where S is intrusion protection against solids like dust etc. & L is intrusion protection against liquids like water jets, rain etc.
| DIGIT
|
PROTECTION LEVEL FROM SOLID OBJECT < S > | DIGIT | PROTECTION LEVEL FROM LIQUIDS < L > |
| 0 | No protection at all | 0 | No protection at all |
| 1 | Protection against solid objects greater than 50 mm | 1 | Protection against vertical flow of water |
| 2 | Protection against solid objects greater than 12.5 mm | 2 | Protection against dripping water when tilted unto 15 |
| 3 | Protection against solid objects greater than 2.5 mm | 3 | Protection against spraying water |
| 4 | Protection against solid objects greater than 1.0 mm | 4 | Protection against splashing water |
| 5 | Protection from dust | 5 | Protection against water jets |
| 6 | Dust tight | 6 | Protection against powerful water jets |
| 7 | Protection against temporary immersion in the water | ||
| 8 | Protection against continuous immersion in the water. |
Widely used IP ratings for CCTV enclosures or in general CCTV cameras are IP 65 or IP 67 but nothing is limited. IP 65 denotes the suitability of CCTV camera enclosure for protection against the dust & water jets. Whiles IP 67 denotes the suitability of CCTV camera enclosures for protection against the dust & temporary immersion in the water.
Article was previously published at http://www.cctvinstitute.co.uk
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