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Home > What does an IP56 weatherproof security camera enclosure classification mean?
March 25, 2010
By: Lynn Bryant
If you are in the market for an outdoor video
surveillance camera, you may have noticed a NEMA rating or
an IEC classification certifying the enclosed device as an
IP56 weatherproof security camera. Those ratings are
designed to demonstrate the level of environmental and
physical conditions an enclosure on a surveillance camera is
capable of withstanding. These standards are determined and
regulated both on a national and international level. Here
in the U.S. the
National
Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) governs the
standardization of electrical equipment. Likewise, the
International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) sets the standards
internationally.
Each agency uses its own classifications to rank specific
levels of environmental conditions and hazards. These
classifications in turn are used to rate the level of
protection enclosures will provide to various electrical
devices such as video surveillance cameras. In this article,
we will be focusing primarily on the NEMA 4 and
corresponding IEC IP56 rating. We will look specifically at
what enclosures with these rankings are designed to protect
against, and how this relates to NEMA 4 rated surveillance
cameras.
A closer look at both rating systems
Each rating system is described in further detail below.
It is important to note however, that an effort has been
made to equate ratings from both systems. However, because
NEMA tests for some environmental conditions that are not
covered by IEC, the IEC rankings cannot be exactly equated
with those of NEMA.
NEMA -- This system is based on a simple
system of numbers. In some cases, a letter is included
after the number to add an additional level of rating.
For example, NEMA has two level four rankings, a "4" and
a "4X." Each is described in further detail below:
- NEMA 4 rating -- If an object is given
this rating, it is designed for both indoor and
outdoor use, and will primarily provide protection
against windblown dust, rain, splashing water,
hose-directed water, and damage from external ice
formation.
- NEMA 4X rating -- An object with this
rating is designed for both indoor and outdoor use
as well, but the X signifies protection against
corrosion in addition to the other events covered by
the standard 4 rating.
IEC -- All IEC codes on the other hand, begin
with the letters IP, or ingress protection, and are
followed by a two-digit code. The first digit is used to
describe the level of protection against persons and
solid foreign objects entering the enclosure. The second
digit is used to rate the level of protection the
enclosure provides against water. Therefore, an object
rating of IP56 would indicate an ingress protection
against access with a wire, protection from dust, and
protection from powerful jetting water from any
direction.
For further details on both of these ranking systems,
please refer to the following link
http://www.canarysystems.com/nsupport/canary_an4.pdf.
How are NEMA and IEC ratings applied to video
surveillance equipment?
The regulatory agencies do not actually test the
surveillance products themselves to determine their rating.
Instead, manufacturers must submit their surveillance
equipment to a designated testing laboratory where it
undergoes vigorous testing to certify the product meets the
standards set by NEMA or IEC.
Purchasing equipment with a NEMA or IEC rated enclosure
will ensure your surveillance equipment can reliably
withstand the rigors of an outdoor surveillance operation.
About the Author
Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com. Your
definitive guide to video surveillance equipment, CCTV
cameras and wireless security systems for home and business.
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