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IPX9 is a specialized degree, introduced by Amendment 2, classifying protection against highly stressful, short-range water jets used in rigorous cleaning environments

Second Characteristic Numeral 9: High Pressure, High Temperature Jet Test

The degree of protection IPX9, introduced by Amendment 2, is specific to enclosures resisting high pressure and temperature water jets. Water projected from any direction under these extreme conditions must not have harmful effects.

The test procedure involves a specialized fan jet nozzle (Figures 7, 8, 9) and precise thermal control.

  • Water Temperature: The water temperature must be high, specifically (80 ± 5) °C.
  • Flow Rate: The nozzle is adjusted to provide a flow rate of (15 ± 1) l/min.
  • Distance: The distance between the nozzle and the sample under test is very close, maintained at 175 ± 25 mm.
  • Force Verification: The impact force distribution of the jet is verified, requiring the force measured against an impact plate to be between 0.9 N and 1.2 N.

The testing process differs based on enclosure size:

  • Small Enclosures (largest dimension < 250 mm): The enclosure is mounted on a rotating turntable (5 ± 1 r/min) and sprayed at four fixed positions (0°, 30°, 60°, 90°). The duration is 30 seconds per position.
  • Large Enclosures (largest dimension $$\geq 25$$ mm): The enclosure is sprayed from all practical directions, perpendicular to the surface as far as possible. The duration is 1 min/m² of exposed surface area, with a minimum of 3 minutes.

As noted in Card 7, IPX9 only is considered a “Restricted” application, meaning it does not automatically comply with IPX5, IPX6, IPX7, or IPX8 requirements unless explicitly multiple coded (e.g., IPX6/IPX9).

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