Second Characteristic Numeral 7 and 8: Immersion Protection and Multiple

The degrees of protection IPX7 and IPX8 address the capability of an enclosure to withstand the static pressure and saturation effects of being submerged in water.

• IPX7 (Temporary immersion): Ingress of water causing harmful effects must be impossible when the enclosure is temporarily immersed in water under standardized conditions. The test duration is fixed at 30 minutes. The enclosure is immersed in its service position such that if the height is less than 850 mm, the lowest point is 1,000 mm below the water surface. If the height is 850 mm or greater, the highest point is located 150 mm below the surface. During testing, the water temperature should not differ from the equipment temperature by more than 5 K.
• IPX8 (Continuous immersion): Ingress of water causing harmful effects must be impossible when the enclosure is continuously immersed. The test conditions, including depth and duration, are subject to agreement between the manufacturer and user, but must be more severe than those prescribed for IPX7.

It is critical to understand the rule governing versatility: an enclosure designated IPX9 only is considered unsuitable for exposure to water jets (IPX5/6) and immersion (IPX7/8). Therefore, enclosures needing multi-hazard protection must use multiple coding (e.g., IPX6/IPX8), indicating a “Versatile” application where requirements for both jetting and immersion are met. Enclosures with multiple codes satisfy all listed conditions. Those marked with only one of these extreme ratings (IPX7, IPX8, or IPX9) are generally restricted in their range of application.