Detailed Explanation of IP Protection Grades (Comparison of IP44 and IP65 String Lights)

When choosing outdoor string lights, you are likely to encounter two important technical terms - IP44 and IP65. The main difference between IP44 and IP65 lies in their levels of protection against water and solids. IP44 string lights can withstand most impacts from solid objects and can endure water splashes or light rain; while IP65 string lights have a higher waterproof performance and can withstand direct water flow or heavy rain, but cannot be completely submerged in water.

Why is this important? Purchasing inferior string lights will increase the risk of fires, arc faults, voltage surges, and other serious consequences. Therefore, understanding the meaning of IP protection levels and how they affect the safety and durability of outdoor lighting is crucial.

Overview of IP Protection Levels

In simple terms, IP protection levels are numerical values assigned to electrical devices (such as string lights) to indicate their ability to resist water and solid objects.

IP protection level products are safe to use. The higher the IP code value, the higher the protection level of the device.

IP protection levels consist of two numbers (such as IP44 or IP65). The first number in the IP code indicates the protection level of the device against solid particles, and the range is from 0 to 6.

The second number in the IP code indicates the protection ability of the electrical device against liquids. Its range is from 0 to 9, with 0 indicating no protection.

If an electrical product can only withstand solids but not liquids, the second number is 0. For example, if an electrical device has a protection level of IP20, it means its solid protection level is "2" and its liquid protection level is "0" (indicating that the product is completely not waterproof).

What does IP44 protection level mean?

If an electrical product has an IP44 protection level, it means it can prevent most solid objects from entering and can easily withstand water splashes or light rain.

What does IP65 protection level mean?

If an electronic product has a protection level of IP44, it means it can withstand most impacts from solid objects and can easily withstand water spray or heavy rain. However, products with IP65 level cannot be completely submerged in water.