NEMA vs IP Enclosures
Common NEMA enclosure types, what they protect against, and how they are usually compared with IEC IP codes.
Indoor, general purpose.
Keeps fingers and falling dirt away from live parts.
Roughly comparable to IP10 for solids; no water protection claimed.
Outdoor, rain-resistant.
Rain, sleet and snow; ice forming on the enclosure does not damage it. Not dust-tight.
Often compared to IP14; the IP code has no equivalent for the ice and corrosion tests.
Outdoor, rain- and windblown-dust-resistant. 3S keeps operating mechanisms usable when iced over.
Rain, sleet, snow and windblown dust.
Often compared to IP54.
Indoor or outdoor, watertight.
Windblown dust, splashing and hose-directed water.
Often compared to IP66; some sources list IP56. IP has no corrosion or icing test.
As Type 4, where corrosion matters — washdown, coastal, chemical areas.
Type 4 protection plus corrosion resistance.
Same IP comparison as Type 4. Corrosion resistance has no IP counterpart.
Occasional (6) or prolonged (6P) submersion at a limited depth.
Hose-directed water and temporary or prolonged submersion.
Often compared to IP67 (6) and IP68 (6P).
Indoor industrial, without knockouts (12) or with knockouts (12K).
Circulating dust, lint, fibers, dripping water and non-corrosive liquids.
Often compared to IP52 or IP54.
Indoor, where oil and coolant are sprayed or splashed.
Dust, spraying water, oil and non-corrosive coolant.
Often compared to IP54.
Reading the comparison
- Comparisons run one way only. An enclosure with a NEMA type rating can usually be said to meet the compared IP code, but an IP-rated enclosure cannot be assumed to meet a NEMA type, because NEMA types add tests for corrosion, icing, gasket aging and construction that IEC 60529 does not cover.
- IP codes have two digits: the first for solid objects and dust (0 to 6), the second for water (0 to 9). An X in either place means that property was not tested.
- Hazardous (classified) location enclosures such as Types 7 to 10 are a separate question: they are about containing or excluding an explosion, and there is no IP equivalent.
Sources: NEMA 250 (enclosure types) and IEC 60529 (IP code), described in our own words. © RokBench.