What are acceptance conditions for the tests for protection against water?

IEC 60529 has been developed to rate and grade the resistance of enclosures of electric and electronic devices against the intrusion of liquids.

After testing in accordance with the appropriate requirements of IEC60529 14.2.1 to 14.2.9, the enclosure shall be inspected for ingress of water.

It is the responsibility of the relevant technical committee to specify the amount of water which may be allowed to enter the enclosure and the details of a dielectric strength test, if any.

In general, if any water has entered, it shall not:

– be sufficient to interfere with the correct operation of the equipment or impair safety;

– deposit on insulation parts where it could lead to tracking along the creepage distances;

– reach live parts or windings not designed to operate when wet;

– accumulate near the cable end or enter the cable if any.

If the enclosure is provided with drain-holes, it should be proved by inspection that any water which enters does not accumulate and that it drains away without doing any harm to the equipment.

For enclosures without drain-holes, the relevant product standard shall specify the acceptance conditions if water can accumulate to reach live parts.