IEC 60529 Harmful effects of water

[MintJulep]

The criteria for the Degress of protection against water includes:

"Water drops | spray | splash | jets | powerful jets shall have no harmful effects"

In my interpretation this requires an assessment of both an enclosure and the item enclosed to assign a rating.

Take for example a commercial electronic enclosure such as the following picture, Obviously it will not stop water from entering.

If the boards inside the enclosure are protected, for example by a conformal coating, and are not damaged by the water that gets in through the slots in the enclosure...

then there are no harmful effects.

And the assembly will qualify for IPX1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or whatever, relative to the type of water it was tested to.

Right?

I'm trying to give the interpretation to suppliers who claim that their equipment is only IPX0 because the enclosure has holes.

I keep telling them that since all their boards are protected, in fact have passed IEC 60571 Salt Mist ST4 that involves spraying with salt water and washing it off under running water, they are easily IPx4 and probably 6.

 

[Hoxton]

Please clarify: what is the question?

 

[MintJulep]

Is my interpretation correct?

Or at least do you agree with my interpretation?

 

[ScottyUK]

Mint,

Your interpretation applies in the specific instance of your conformal coated boards, but the enclosure manufacturer has little or no control over the final use. The rating he gives necessarily must be a generic rating without specific requirements placed upon the protection of internal components. I don't have the standard at home but I suspect it will quantify the leakage rate in the assessment criteria of the standard. I can check tomorrow if that helps?

 

[MintJulep]

Thanks Scotty, but I have the standard.

I understand that an enclosure manufacturer is not aware of what might be put inside. However in my case the vendors provide boards in and enclosure, so they are responsible for the entire system.

 

[ScottyUK]

Will the conformal protection apply to power inlets, connectors, power supplies, and whatever else you're cramming in there?

 

[MintJulep]

Everything has passed IEC 60571 Salt Mist ST4 that involves spraying with salt water and washing it off under running water, so yes whatever is in there is protected.