An IP rating describes enclosure protection against solids and water under defined tests. It helps compare exposure protection, but it does not establish every condition in which the complete product can operate.
Read the digits separately
In IP64, the first digit identifies dust-tight protection and the second identifies protection against splashing water under the applicable test conditions. It is not an immersion rating or a pressure-wash specification.
The declared protection depends on the product's intended assembled condition. Covers, battery doors, connectors and seals may need to be closed or fitted exactly as the instructions require.
Avoid ranking every application by one number
A higher water-protection numeral does not, by itself, establish chemical compatibility, salt resistance, high-temperature washdown protection or resistance to impact. Immersion ratings such as IP68 use documented conditions; obtain the exact depth, duration and installation limits rather than assuming unlimited underwater use.
Use industrial requirements alongside IP
Check ambient temperature, supply voltage, cord entry and the manufacturer's permitted use. For flammable gas or combustible dust, hazardous-location approval is a separate requirement. Dust-tight construction alone does not establish a Class II approval.
Inspect the features that maintain the rating
Before issuing portable equipment, examine seals, covers, lenses and cable entries for damage or contamination. Use approved replacement parts and follow the prescribed cleaning method. Do not pressure-wash or immerse a product unless that use is expressly covered.
References: IEC — IEC 60529 enclosure protection · OSHA 1910.307 — Hazardous (classified) locations