Trade Resources
IP54, IP65, IP68 — What the Second Digit Means
IP ratings have two digits: the first covers dust/solid ingress, the second covers water ingress. For outdoor lighting, the second digit is the one that actually determines whether a product survives.
IP54
Protected against dust ingress (not dust-tight) and splashing water from any direction. Adequate for a covered, sheltered spot. Not adequate for a garden bed, a pool edge, or anywhere it sits in standing water.
IP65
Dust-tight, protected against low-pressure water jets. Better, but still not rated for submersion.
IP68
Dust-tight and rated for continuous submersion at a specified depth and duration (Orenara's components: 1.5m for 30 minutes). This is the rating that actually matters for pool edges, garden irrigation zones, and anywhere water contact is constant rather than occasional.
The gap between IP65 and IP68 isn't marginal — it's the difference between “resists rain” and “survives being underwater.” Check the second digit before assuming a product will hold up outdoors.