 JIS Grades of Water and Dust resistanceOur customers often ask what is the difference between water proof digital cameras (underwater cameras) and water resistant film cameras, waterproof binoculars, spotting scopes. We hope that the information below will give you enough enformation on different grades of
waterproofing and water-resistant protection. Next time you will see a Grade 4 waterproof digital camera or JIS Class 7 water resistant digital camera or Grade 6 water proof camera case, you will know what it means! If you think you need to protect your camera or binoculars from dust or water, you might want to consider some serious protection OpticsPlanet.com Waterproof Dry Boxes and Watertight Cases
JIS Grades of
water resistance
IEC 529 Second
edition 1989 - 11
Prepared by IEC
Technical committee No. 70: Degrees of Protection by enclosures
Dust
ingress protection
Grade 4
Protected
against solid foreign objects 1,0 mm diameter and greater.
Grade 5
Dust
protected. Ingress of duct is not totally prevented, but dust shall not
penetrate in a quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the
apparatus or to impair safety.
Grade 6
Dust tight. No
ingress of dust.
Degrees
of protection against ingress of water indicated by the second characteristic
numeral.
Grade 0
Non-protected
Grade 1
Protected
against vertically falling water drops.
Vertically
falling drops shall have no harmful effects.
Grade 2
Protected
against vertically falling water drops when enclosure is tilted up to 15
degrees.
Vertically
falling drops shall have no harmful effects when the enclosure is tilted at any
angle up to 15 degrees on either side of the vertical.
Grade 3
Protected
against spraying water.
Water sprayed
at an angle up to 60 degrees on either side of vertical shall have no harmful
effects.
Grade 4
Protected
against splashing water.
Water splashed
against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
Test
conditions for Grade 4
The test is
made using one of the two test devices described in figure 4 and in Figure 5 in
accordance with the relevant product standard.
a) Conditions
when using the test device as in figure 4 (oscillating tube):
The
oscillating tube has spray holes over the whole 180 degrees of the semi circle.
The total flow rate is adjusted as specified in Table IX and is measured with a
flow meter.
The tube is
caused to oscillate through an angle of almost 360 degrees, 180 degrees on
either side of the vertical, the time for one complete oscillation (2x360
degrees) being about 12s.
The duration
of the test is 10 min.
If not
specified in the relevant product standard, the support for the enclosure under
test is perforated so as to avoid acting as a baffle and the enclosure is
sprayed from every direction by oscillating the tube to the limit of its travel
in each direction.
Grade 5
Protected
against water jets.
Water
projected in jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful
effects.
Test
conditions for Grade 5:
The test is
made by spraying the enclosure from all practicable directions with a stream of
water from a standard test nozzle as shown in figure 6.
The conditions
to be observed are as follows:
Internal
diameter of the nozzle: 6.3mm.
Delivery rate:
12.5 l/min +/- 5 %
Water
pressure: to be adjusted to achieve the specified delivery rate.
Core of the
substantial stream: circle of approximately 40mm in diameter at 2.5m distance
from the nozzle.
Test duration
per square metre of enclosure surface area likely to be sprayed: 1 min.
Minimum test
duration: 3 min.
Distance from
nozzle to enclosure surface: between 2.5m and 3m.
Summary of
test conditions for Grade 5:
Test means:
Water jet hose nozzle Figure 6. Nozzle 6.3mm diameter, distance 2.5m to 3m.
Water flow
rate: 12.5 litres per minute +/- 5%.
Duration of
test: 1 min/m2 at least 3 min.
Grade 6
Protected
against powerful water jets.
Water
projected in powerful jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have
no harmful effects.
Test
conditions for Grade 6:
The test is
made by spraying the enclosure from all practicable directions with a stream of
water from a standard test nozzle as shown in figure 6.
The conditions
to be observed are as follows:
Internal
diameter of the nozzle: 12.5mm.
Delivery rate:
100 l/min +/- 5 %
Water
pressure: to be adjusted to achieve the specified delivery rate.
Core of the
substantial stream: circle of approximately 120mm in diameter at 2.5m distance
from the nozzle.
Test duration
per square metre of enclosure surface area likely to be sprayed: 1 min.
Minimum test
duration: 3 min.
Distance from
nozzle to enclosure surface: between 2.5m and 3m.
Summary of
test conditions for Grade 6:
Test means:
Water jet hose nozzle Figure 6. Nozzle 12.5mm diameter, distance 2.5m to 3m.
Water flow
rate: 100 litres per minute +/- 5%.
Duration of
test: 1 min/m2 at least 3 min.
Grade 7
Protected
against the effects of temporary immersion in water.
Ingress of
water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the
enclosure is temporarily immersed in water under standardised conditions of
pressure and time.
Test
conditions for Grade 7: temporary immersion between 0.15m and 1m
The test is
made by completely immersing the enclosure in water in its service position as
specified by the manufacturer so that the following conditions are satisfied:
a) the lowest
point of enclosures with a height less than 850mm is located 1000mm below the
surface of the water;
b) the highest
point of enclosures with a height equal to or greater than 850mm is located
150mm below the surface of the water;
c) the
duration of the test is 30min;
d) the water
temperature does not differ from that of the equipment by more than 5 degrees
Kelvin. However, a modified requirement may be specified in the relevant product
standard if the tests are to be made when the equipment is energised and/or its
parts in motion.
Summary of
test conditions for Grade 7:
Test means:
Immersion tank. Water level on enclosure: 0.15m above top, 1m above bottom.
Water flow
rate: not applicable.
Duration of
test: 30 minutes.
Grade 8
Protected
against the effects of continuous immersion in water.
Ingress of
water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the
enclosure is continuously immersed in water under conditions which shall be
agreed between manufacturer and user but which are more severe than for numeral
7.
Test
conditions for Grade 8: continuous immersion subject to agreement
Unless there
is a relevant product standard, the test conditions are subject to agreement
between manufacturer and user, but they shall be more severe than those
prescribed in 14.2.7 and they shall take account of the condition that the
enclosure will be continuously immersed in actual use.
Summary of
test conditions for Grade 8:
Test means:
Immersion tank. Water level: by agreement.
Water flow
rate: not applicable.
Duration of
test: by agreement. |