what does IPX waterproof rating mean? and what is behind an IP rating ?
Have you ever seen IPX7 return on your headphone or your speaker? Have you ever wondered what that exactly means? All the devices come with IP ratings, and there are several IP ratings that you can find on various devices.
Suppose you don’t have the basic knowledge about IP ratings. No worries because we are going to discuss everything about it below in this article. Every product comes with a level of protection that is indicated with the IP protection rating.
As per the purpose of each device, the IP rating is bifurcated into various numbers and letters. This article will primarily focus on IPX7 waterproof rating and the devices rated with IPX7 protection.
What Does IP in IPX7 Means?
Before understanding the IPX7 waterproof rating, you must know the exact meaning of IP in IPX7. The complete form of IP is International Protection or Ingress Protection that reflects the level of protection that your device has from liquids and solid objects.
The IP rating is bifurcated into two scales: water protection and dust rating scale. The IP abbreviation is followed by 2 or 3 letters or numbers that describe the level of protection that your device has from fluid or solid intrusion.
Mostly there are just two numbers or letters, but in some cases, devices also contain three letters such as H, M, S, F, and W. The first letter or number after IP is the level of dust protection that your device has, and the second number or letter shows the protection level against liquids.
In the IPX7 case, X is the level of protection that your device offers from dust, and 7 is the protection level against fluids. We will discuss it more in the rest of the article.
Related: IPX7 Vs IP67
What is IPX7 Waterproof Rating?
If you see an IP rating with an X letter, that means it does not provide any protection for that scale. In the case of the IPX7 rating, there is no information regarding the level of dust protection that the device offers.
The devices that are rated IPX7 only provide resistance against water and other fluids. Now you must wonder what does the number 7 represents in the IPX7 rating.
When a device is given an IPX7 rating, that means your device is waterproof, and you can keep it one meter deep into the water for almost 30 minutes, and then also your device will work without any issue. IPX7 rating is one of the most popular ratings which is given to several devices.
In most articles, you must have heard terms like water-resistant and waterproof water repellent, and hydrophobic, which can be highly confusing when associated with an IPX7 rating.
The terms like water-resistant water repellent and hydrophobic are generally used to describe the items made with pieces of clothing, and waterproof is used with electronic devices.
Water resistance means that the item you are using is a thick fabric that will take a long time for the water to get past it.
On the other hand, water-repellent means that the clothing you are using does not get soaked into water. Lastly, hydrophobic is a better technology that does not allow the water to pass or the fabric to get soaked into liquid.
The meaning of these three terms is very different from waterproof, and we never use these terms to describe the protection level of electronic devices. Waterproof means that the device you are using is completely protected against any liquid intrusion.
More information about IPX7 Waterproof Rating
The devices rated with IPX7 rating do not have proper testing of other IPX ratings; therefore, even after it has full-on protection against water and other liquids, users have to be extremely careful while handling those devices.
To have a proper understanding of the level of protection the devices have that comes with IPX7 waterproof rating, if you have mistakenly dropped your device in water, it will survive only if it is 1 meter deep. You take the device out within 30 minutes.
An electronic device having an IPX7 waterproof rating does not mean that it can be safe against tidal waves and the deep flow of water. So to protect your electronic device from other circumstances, you must handle it with care.
Ratings of the device differ on the uses as well, so if you want to have an electronic device such as a Bluetooth speaker or headphones to listen to music in the areas near water, such as swimming pool or sea, you can go for an IPX7 rating.
But if you want to use the Bluetooth speaker or such electronic devices for hiking or picnic, then it is better that you buy appliances with IPX4, 5, or 6 ratings. These ratings offer water protection levels to the devices from different angles.
How Should You Buy IPX7 Waterproof Rated Devices?
Several manufacturers provide outdoor electronic devices; however, some can be marked with fake specifications. Most of the devices you see are just supplied with a rating of IPX7. The manufacturer does not emphasize any other protection level rating, which can be highly confusing.
Even a device having an IPX7 waterproof rating means that it will provide sufficient protection from the water. Still, it is essential that if you are buying a machine, especially for outdoor purposes, you go for a device rated IPX6/IPX7 because then the entire device will be protected against water splashes and submersions.
Summing it Up
This is everything that you must know about IPX7 waterproof rating, and we hope that now when you go to buy a device, you will look for this rating on the device and will understand if the device is suitable for the purpose you are buying it for.
Having a waterproof rated device is extremely important because we cannot estimate rain falling off the device in swimming pools, the sea, and so on. However, you can combine different ratings so that your device is overall protected against several factors.
