Technical infos
IP Protection / Moisture protection for fans
For most fans, protection against moisture or splash water can be provided, either in the form of a coating or as a full encapsulation.
IP Protection for fans
Depending on the application in question, condensing humidity or a brief fine mist must be anticipated. There are several methods of protecting the motor and the electronic components against humidity. The electronic components and the motor of compact 80 mm or 120 mm fans can be injection moulded and the lead wires to the electronic components also protected so that the fan could be „immersed/submerged“ in accordance with the IP Class code – which will certainly not occur in the application.
A further method of protection that is used frequently is protective lacquer or the coating of the PCB itself. Most of the problems with humidity can be cost-effectively solved using this method. However, it should never be forgotten that the bearings are always subject to humidity regardless of how the electronic components have been protected. Even the so-called labyrinth seals that are sometimes available on the market only help when the fan is in operation. During standstills the bearings are virtually „drowned“.
A classic shaft seal is hard to find due to the small motor capacity. In the case of ball bearing fans, the ball bearings have a basic protection with a cover disk on both sides and the use of stainless steel. In special cases ceramic bearings can be used which are not only more expensive but also have other mechanical disadvantages.
IP protection types
The letters IP stand for International Protection or Ingress Protection and are supplemented by max. 4 additional digits:
1st digit: Contact protection / foreign body protection
2nd digit: Water protection
3rd digit: Additional touch protection
4th digit: Supplementary letters
(the 3rd and 4th digits do not necessarily have to be indicated)
If the 1st or 2nd digit is not significant, it is usually replaced by an “X”.
| First code number | Protection against ingress of foreign bodies | Second code number | Protection against water |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | not protected | 0 | not protected |
| 1 | Protection against foreign bodies with a diameter of >50 mm | 1 | Protection against vertically dripping water |
| 2 | Protection against foreign bodies with a diameter of >12.5 mm | 2 | Protection against dripping water, max. 15° from the side |
| 3 | Protection against foreign bodies with a diameter of >2.5 mm | 3 | Protection against spray water, max. 60° from the side |
| 4 | Protection against foreign bodies with a diameter of >1 mm | 4 | Protection against splash water |
| 5 | Dust protected | 5 | Protection against water jets |
| 6 | Dust-tight | 6 | Protection against strong jets of water |
| 7 | Protection against temporary immersion | ||
| 8 | Protection against permanent immersion (another digit indicates the depth of immersion in metres, e.g. IP68-3 would be 3m deep). | ||
| 9K | Protection against intensive water jets, e.g. high-pressure cleaners |