Calculating IPX5 and IPX6 Test Duration from Surface Area

The duration of an IPX5 or IPX6 test is not fixed. It scales with the surface area of the enclosure, with a floor of three minutes, and getting the area wrong is a common source of non-comparable results.

The rule

Duration in minutes equals three times the surface area in square metres, with a minimum of three minutes. A small sensor with 0.05 square metres of surface gets three minutes because of the floor. A cabinet with 2 square metres gets six minutes.

Which area

The area exposed to the jet, which for a rectangular enclosure is the sum of its faces, excluding the mounting face if it is against a wall. Do not use the footprint. For complex shapes, approximate with the bounding box and note the approximation in the report.

Distribution of time

The total duration is distributed across the surfaces, with the jet held at each position long enough to be meaningful. Common practice is to divide the time by the number of positions and add dwell at cable entries and seams, which are the places most likely to leak.

Related technical notes

• Water Temperature in IP Testing: An Overlooked Variable
• Dust Tight or Dust Protected: The Difference IP5X and IP6X
• Specifying an Outdoor Cabinet: IP Rating Plus Everything Else