概述

Waterproofing is a critical factor in the design and deployment of modern IP surveillance cameras. Cameras are often installed in outdoor or industrial environments where they are exposed to rain, dust, humidity, or high-pressure water jets. The International Protection (IP) rating system provides a standardized way to describe how well an enclosure protects sensitive electronics from ingress of solid objects and liquids. This document explains the IP rating system, the meaning of waterproofness in surveillance equipment, and best practices for selecting and deploying waterproof IP cameras.

Introduction
IP surveillance cameras are increasingly used in outdoor and mission-critical applications such as:

• City surveillance (streets, intersections, public squares)
• Transportation hubs (airports, seaports, train stations)
• Industrial environments (factories, utilities, chemical plants)
• Retail and campus security (building perimeters, parking lots)

In these scenarios, the environment exposes cameras to rain, splashing water, snow, dust storms, or even high-pressure water from cleaning equipment. Without waterproof protection, water ingress can cause:

• Short circuits and equipment failure
• Corrosion of electronic components
• Blurry or unusable images due to condensation
• Reduced operational life and higher maintenance costs

Understanding IP Ratings
The Ingress Protection (IP) rating system is defined by IEC standard 60529. It uses a two-digit code to indicate the level of protection against solid objects (first digit) and liquids (second digit).

First Digit – Solid Particle Protection
0: None (No protection)
1: >50mm (Protection against large body parts, e.g hand)
2: >12.5mm (Protection against fingers)
3: >2.5mm (Protection against tools, thick wires)
4: >1.0mm (Protection against most wires and screws)
5: Dust-Protected (Limited dust ingress allowed, no harmful deposits)
6: Dust-Tight (Complete protection against dust ingress)

Second Digit – Liquid Ingress Protection
0: None (No protection)
1: Dripping Water (Vertically falling drops)
2: Dripping at 15° tilt (Drops falling when tilted up to 15°)
3: Spraying Water (Water sprayed up to 60° from vertical)
4: Splashing Water (Splashing from any direction)
5: Water Jets (Water projected by nozzle (6.3 mm) from any direction)
6: Powerful Jets (Powerful water jets using 12.5 mm nozzle)
7: Immersion (1m) (Temporary immersion up to 1 meter depth)
8: Immersion (>1m) (Continuous immersion beyond 1 meter)
9K: High Pressure / High Temperature (Powerful high-temperature water jets, commonly used in automotive/industrial equipment, ISO 20653)

Common IP Ratings for Surveillance Cameras

IP65: Dust-protected, resistant to low-pressure water jets. Suitable for semi-outdoor environments with some rain exposure.

IP66: Dust-tight, resistant to strong water jets. Ideal for full outdoor use in most climates.

IP67: Dust-tight, protection against temporary immersion in water. Useful in areas prone to flooding or extreme weather.

IP68: Dust-tight, continuous immersion beyond 1 meter. Rare in cameras, but used in specialized underwater or tunnel applications.

Some industrial or transportation environments may also require IP69K, which ensures survival under high-pressure, high-temperature cleaning (e.g., food processing facilities, heavy vehicles).

ACTi's outdoor-ready surveillance cameras are all at least IP66 rated, whereas most of the models are either IP67 or IP68 rated.

Conclusion
Waterproofness is not just a specification—it is a guarantee of operational reliability in challenging environments. Understanding IPxx ratings helps security managers and system integrators select the right cameras for each deployment scenario. By choosing properly rated waterproof IP surveillance cameras, organizations reduce downtime, minimize maintenance costs, and ensure continuous, reliable protection.

應用

It is strongly advised to use at least IP66 rated cameras for any outdoor applications.

解決方案

The waterproof cameras, such as bullets, domes, PTZ and multi-imager cameras do not require any additional accessories to make them waterproof - they are at least IP66 rated by their original design already. The box cameras by default are not waterproof. To use the box cameras outdoors, the outdoor-ready housings are offered along with the box cameras - you can find the housing options in the Related Products section of the box camera pages of ACTi website.