IP66 vs IP67 vs IP68 and IK10 for Factory CCTV Cameras: What the Tests Actually Mean
Under IEC 60529 (India: IS/IEC 60529), IP66 means dust-tight plus 100 L/min water jets from 2.5–3 m; IP67 means dust-tight plus 30 minutes under 1 m of water. IP68 depth and time are agreed with the manufacturer. IK08 is 5 J, IK10 is 20 J (IEC 62262:2002; India: IS 17050). For factory floors, ask for IP66/IP67 plus IK10.
Verified against
- Bureau of Indian Standards, IS/IEC 60529:2001 Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code), BIS June 2009. It supersedes IS 12063:1987 and is identical to IEC 60529 Ed 2.1 (scanned BIS text, Public.Resource.Org copy)
- IEC, IEC 60529:1989+AMD1:1999+AMD2:2013 CSV, Edition 2.2 (webstore record: published 2013-08-29, stability date 2027), and the Ed 2.2 preview (introduction to Amendment 2)
- IEC, IEC 62262:2002+AMD1:2021 CSV, Edition 1.1 preview (scope, introduction, IK code arrangement)
- BIS, IS 17050:2023 record ("identical under dual numbering" with IEC 62262 Ed 1.1)
- Rittal (enclosure maker with an in-house test lab), White Paper: IK code, impact protection in line with IEC 62 262, for the hammer masses and drop heights
- Vendor datasheets: Hikvision DS-2CD2H46G2H-IZSY and DS-2CD33167G3P-LIHSUY/SL; CP Plus CP-UNC-TE4K081ZL10E-VMD and CP-UNC-VC41ZL4C-VMDS-V2; Axis T93F housing series; Zenitel DS-2XC6224G0-L underwater camera
- Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- The IK joule values below come from Rittal's table.
IP and IK test conditions at a glance
| Code | What the standard says | Test, as written | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP5X | Dust-protected: "ingress of dust is not totally prevented" but must not interfere with operation | Talc dust chamber; the enclosure is treated as category 1 (under-pressure) unless the product standard says otherwise | IS/IEC 60529 Table 2, 13.5 |
| IP6X | Dust-tight: "no ingress of dust" | Talc that passes a 75 µm mesh, 2 kg per m³ of chamber. Enclosure always held below ambient pressure (max 2 kPa) to draw 80 volumes of air, up to 8 h. Pass = no visible dust inside | IS/IEC 60529, 13.4, 13.6 |
| IPX5 | Water jets | 6.3 mm nozzle, 12.5 L/min ±5%, 2.5–3 m, 1 min per m², minimum 3 min | IS/IEC 60529, Table 8, 14.2.5 |
| IPX6 | Powerful water jets | 12.5 mm nozzle, 100 L/min ±5%, 2.5–3 m, 1 min per m², minimum 3 min | IS/IEC 60529, Table 8, 14.2.6 |
| IPX7 | Temporary immersion | Lowest point 1 m below the surface (enclosures under 850 mm tall), 30 min, water within 5 K of the equipment | IS/IEC 60529, 14.2.7 |
| IPX8 | Continuous immersion | Unless a product standard applies, conditions are "subject to agreement between manufacturer and user", but more severe than IPX7 | IS/IEC 60529, Table 3, 14.2.8 |
| IPX9 | High-pressure, high-temperature water jet | Added by Amendment 2 (2013). Not in the 2001 text that BIS adopted | IEC 60529 Ed 2.2 preview |
| IK08 | 5 J impact | 1.7 kg steel hammer, 0.300 m drop | Rittal white paper (IEC 62262:2002 values), Tables 1 and 4 |
| IK10 | 20 J impact | 5 kg steel hammer, 0.408 m drop | Rittal, Tables 1 and 4 |
| IK11 | Added by Amendment 1 (2021) | IK numerals now run 00 to 11; joule value not shown in the preview | IEC 62262 Ed 1.1 preview, 4.1 |
Three rules in the standard change how you read a datasheet:
- Up to IPX6, higher includes lower. An IPX6 enclosure is also taken to meet IPX5 and below.
- IPX7 and IPX8 do not include IPX5 or IPX6. The standard's table lists a bare "IPX7" or "IPX8" as restricted, meaning immersion only and unsuitable for water jets. A camera that passed both is marked IPX6/IPX7 ("versatile"), so on a camera you would see "IP66/IP67" (IS/IEC 60529, clause 6).
- IP68 has no fixed depth or time. Read the datasheet for the declared metres and hours. If either is missing, the claim cannot be checked.
Which rating for which factory zone
| Zone | Rating to ask for | Why, per the standards |
|---|---|---|
| Cement, flour, grinding, textile lint | IP6X (IP66 or IP67) | IP5X lets some dust in by definition. IP6X is tested under suction, which matches a camera that heats and cools and so breathes |
| Monsoon exposure, open sheds, yard poles | IP66, or IP66/IP67 where water can pool | The IPX6 jet is far harsher than rain, but the test lasts minutes, not a season |
| Hose-down cleaning (dairy, food, pharma) | IPX9 from a test report, or a cleaning regime agreed with the vendor; not IP66 alone | Clause 6: tests use fresh water, and "actual protection may not be satisfactory if cleaning operations with high pressure and/or solvents are used" |
| Flood-prone basements, drains, effluent pits | IP68 with stated depth and hours | IPX8 conditions are agreed between manufacturer and user, not fixed by the standard |
| Forklift aisles, loading bays, reachable heights | IK10 | 20 J is a 5 kg hammer dropped 0.408 m, not a vehicle (see below) |
Where brands differ
- Hikvision datasheets name the standard and edition next to the rating, for example "IP67: IEC 60529-2013, IK10: IEC 62262:2002", and list corrosion separately as "NEMA 4X (NEMA 250-2018)" (DS-2CD2H46G2H-IZSY, DS-2CD33167G3P-LIHSUY/SL). The rating is a bare "IP67", not "IP66/IP67".
- CP Plus datasheets give "Weatherproof Standard IP67 & IK10" with no standard or edition named (CP-UNC-TE4K081ZL10E-VMD). One dome datasheet adds that vandal-proofing "is given in selected models" (CP-UNC-VC41ZL4C-VMDS-V2). Check the exact model.
- Axis lists its T93F housings as "IP66/IP67- and NEMA 4X-rated" and "IK10-rated", which is the dual coding the standard describes (Axis T93F).
- IP68 underwater cameras state depth but not duration. Zenitel's datasheet for the DS-2XC6224G0-L says "IP68" and "up to 15m depth underwater" (Zenitel datasheet).
A bare "IP67" is common on datasheets. By the letter of the standard, the jet claim is yours to ask for.
What breaks in a factory
The scope clause of IS/IEC 60529 says these are outside the IP code and belong to the product standard: mechanical impact, corrosion, corrosive solvents ("for example, cutting liquids"), fungus, vermin, solar radiation, icing, condensation and explosive atmospheres. In practice:
- Monsoon fogging. The standard says condensed dew inside the enclosure during the test "shall not be mistaken for an ingress of water". An IP67 camera can still fog from the inside in humid weather. Ask about a heater or a breather.
- CNC coolant mist and dyeing or plating vapour. IP says nothing about chemicals. Specify housing material or an anti-corrosion rating separately (see textile dye-house cameras).
- Heat. During the IPX1–IPX6 tests, the water must be within 5 K of the specimen's temperature. A camera that is hot from a furnace and then hit by a cold hose has not been tested for that.
- The cable joint. The rating covers the enclosure as tested. The RJ45 pigtail junction box is installation work, so seal it and fit drip loops.
- Forklifts. Here is a worked assumption: a 3,500 kg laden forklift at 1.5 m/s carries ½mv² ≈ 3,900 J, close to 200 times the 20 J of IK10. Use bollards and mounting height for that, not the IK code. Rittal also notes that the IP rating must still hold after the impact test. If IP66 survives only at IK08, the honest label is "IP66 at IK08".
- Explosive areas need Ex-certified equipment (see explosion-proof CCTV).
When to call the installer / what to ask the vendor
- Ask for the test report, not just the datasheet icon: which IP digits were tested, against which edition, and by which lab.
- For jets plus immersion, ask whether the camera is IP66/IP67 dual-coded.
- For IP68, ask for the depth in metres and the time in hours.
- For IK10, ask which part was struck. IEC 62262 tells buyers to consult the manufacturer about "the parts of equipment to which the stated degree of protection applies". A dome bubble and a metal base are not the same thing.
- Put the ratings into the RFQ (tender clause template) and check the gland and junction sealing at handover (commissioning checklist).
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FAQ
Is IP67 better than IP66? Not strictly. IP67 adds a 30-minute, 1 m immersion test, but by IEC 60529 a camera marked only "IP67" makes no claim about water jets. For outdoor and wash-prone positions, ask for IP66/IP67. For a full zone-by-zone pick, see turret vs bullet placement.
Is IP68 better than IP67? Only for continuous immersion. The standard requires IPX8 to be more severe than IPX7, but the depth and time are agreed between manufacturer and user (in practice, declared on the datasheet), and IPX8 does not imply jet resistance either.
What does IK10 mean on a CCTV camera? The enclosure withstood 20 J impacts, which Rittal describes as a 5 kg hammer dropped from 0.408 m, without losing its function or its declared protection. IEC 62262 added IK11 in 2021.
Is IP66 enough for heavy monsoon rain? For rain, yes: IPX6 is tested with 100 L/min jets. It does not cover internal condensation, corrosion or high-pressure washdown.