IP65 vs IP66 vs IP67: A Buyer's Guide
The wrong IP rating fails in months. Here's exactly what each number means for your install environment.
The fixture that failed was rated IP65 and installed on a coastal wall 200 metres from the ocean. The gasket dried out, water got into the housing, and the LED board corroded. The replacement should have been IP67 minimum. The cost difference between the two: marginal. The cost of the failure: a warranty claim, a site visit, and a customer who won't reorder. The IP code is where that difference lives — here's how to read it.
The first digit "6" appears on virtually all outdoor fixtures — it means dust-tight. The second digit is where buyers need to choose carefully.
IP65 — protected against low-pressure water from any direction. Suitable for standard outdoor walls, garden installations, sheltered porches. Not suitable for hose-down areas, coastal exposure, or heavy storm zones.
IP66 — protected against high-pressure water jets. Required for warehouses being hose-cleaned, livestock facilities, locations where firehose-strength water might hit the fixture. Industrial standard for security floodlights.
IP67 — protected against full submersion (up to 1m for 30 minutes). Required for pool perimeters, deck lights that may flood, anywhere temporary submersion is possible. Most premium garden uplights ship at IP67.
Common mistake: ordering IP65 for coastal installations. Salt-laden air + driving rain can defeat IP65 within 18 months. Coastal projects should specify IP66 minimum.