⚡ Verification of the degree of protection (IP code) of enclosures of electrical equipment of road vehicles — protection against foreign objects and dust (up to 5K and 6K), access to hazardous parts and water (from dripping to 9K — high-pressure and steam-jet cleaning), ISO 20653

Electronics and EMC ISO 20653

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. ISO 20653 has no Polish edition: the PKN search engine for “ISO 20653” (02.10.2026) returns “No results”, so there is no PKN catalogue card either; the Polish title is our translation. Scope according to the text: the document applies to degrees of protection (IP code) provided by enclosures of the electrical equipment of road vehicles and specifies a) designations and definitions of types and degrees of protection — protection of equipment against ingress of foreign objects, including dust, protection of persons against access to hazardous parts inside the enclosure and protection of equipment against the effects of water ingress, b) requirements for each degree, c) tests confirming that the enclosure meets the requirements of the relevant degree. We read the text in the sample of ISO 20653:2023 from the cover to example 7.4 (IP2X/IP5KX); we do not have the clauses with test requirements and conditions (apparatus, dust, sprays, immersion, high-pressure cleaning) or the annexes.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF ISO 20653:2023 (foreword, introduction, Clauses 1–7.4). The standard was prepared by ISO/TC 22 “Road vehicles”, SC 32 “Electrical and electronic components and general system aspects”; the third edition replaced the second (ISO 20653:2013) after technical revision. Main changes: test conditions for IPX9K were extended, the method of measuring the impact force of the jet was described and tolerances were added, as well as a method of visualizing the impact force with foam; details of the test setup for degrees of protection against water 3, 4 and 4K were added. Introduction: the IP codes are in accordance with IEC 60529, except for codes with the letter “K” — special requirements for road vehicles not covered by IEC 60529. References (2): ISO 12103-1 (Arizona test dust) and IEC 60068-2-68 (Test L: dust and sand). Terms (3): enclosure, degree of protection (verified by standardized test methods), IP code, hazardous part, opening (a gap existing or formed under a probe at a specified force). Structure of the code (4.1): a missing element is replaced by the letter X (or XX if both digits are missing); additional and supplementary letters may be omitted without replacement; additional letters following each other — in alphabetical order; where part of the enclosure has a different degree from the rest, both are given. Meaning (Table 1): first digit — foreign objects: 0 not protected, 1 ≥ 50 mm, 2 ≥ 12,5 mm, 3 ≥ 2,5 mm, 4 ≥ 1,0 mm, 5K dust-protected, 6K dust-tight; access: 1 back of hand, 2 finger, 3 tool, 4–6K wire. Second digit — water: 0 not protected, 1 vertical dripping, 2 dripping with 15° inclination, 3 spraying, 4 splashing, 4K splashing with increased pressure, 5 jet, 6 strong jet, 6K strong jet with increased pressure, 7 temporary immersion, 8 continuous immersion, 9K high-pressure and steam-jet cleaning. Additional letter (A back of hand, B finger, C tool, D wire) — access, where not described by the first digit; supplementary letter M — movement of moving parts during the water test, S — standstill. Examples (4.3): IP44, IPX5, IP2X, IP20C, IPXXC, IPX1C, IP3XD, IP23S, IP21CM, IPX5/IPX7. Protection against foreign objects and access (5): an additional letter only when the protection against access is higher than follows from the first digit or when only the protection against access is given; a degree includes all lower ones. Requirements (Table 2): a probe of 50; 12,5; 2,5; 1,0 mm diameter “shall not penetrate completely” (the full diameter does not pass through an opening); 5K — dust may penetrate only in a quantity not impairing operation and safety; 6K — dust shall not penetrate. Access (Table 3): 1/A — 50 mm probe does not penetrate completely and keeps a distance from hazardous parts; 2/B — jointed test finger 12 mm may penetrate but keeps a distance; 3/C — probe 2,5 mm, 100 mm long; 4, 5K, 6K/D — probe 1,0 mm, 100 mm long, may penetrate while keeping a distance. Water (6, Table 4): up to and including 6K a degree covers the lower ones; degrees 7, 8 and 9K do not cover degrees up to 6K — where both are needed, they are designated separately, e.g. IPX4K/IPX7, IPX5/IPX7, IPX6K/IPX8, IPX6K/IPX9K, IPX8/IPX9K; 1 — vertical dripping without harmful effects; 2 — dripping with inclination up to 15° on either side; 3 — spraying at an angle up to 60° from the vertical; 4 — splashing from any direction; 4K — splashing with increased pressure; 5 — jet from any direction; 6 — strong jet; 6K — strong jet with increased pressure; 7 — water does not penetrate in a harmful quantity during temporary immersion under specified pressure and time conditions; 8 — during continuous immersion under conditions agreed between supplier and vehicle manufacturer, more severe than for 7; 9K — jet during high-pressure and steam-jet cleaning from any direction. Designation examples (7): IP34K — protection against objects ≥ 2,5 mm and against access with a tool, splashing with increased pressure; IP16KB — objects ≥ 50 mm, strong jet with increased pressure, protection against finger access; IP2X/IP5KX — the whole enclosure and the cover of an internal part with different degrees.

STATUS (as of 02.10.2026). There is no Polish standard with this number (PKN search engine, query “ISO 20653”: “No results”). According to the EVS catalogue, ISO 20653:2023 is valid from 30.08.2023, and in the history of the standard it is preceded by ISO 20653:2013 (EVS card: “Withdrawn from 30.08.2023”) and ISO 20653:2006. What changed for the result: according to the foreword of the 2023 edition — the IPX9K test (extended conditions, measurement of the jet impact force with tolerances, visualization of the force on foam) and the test setup for degrees 3, 4 and 4K; a laboratory testing to the 2013 edition has different requirements precisely for these degrees.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, data up to 17.09.2026, read 02.10.2026). The number 20653 appears in 8 records of 6 Polish laboratories: AB 128, AB 261, AB 1340, AB 1552, AB 1776, AB 1974. In the current scopes on the PCA website (read 02.10.2026, issues from 07.10.2025 to 01.09.2026) AB 261 and AB 1340 cite the 2013 edition, AB 1552 — 2023 (“ISO 20653:2023 (E)”), AB 1776 and AB 1974 — both editions 2013 and 2023 next to vehicle manufacturers’ requirements (VW 80332, VW 75174, LV 214), and AB 128 — the designation alone without a date, together with PN-EN 60529. The “Laboratories” tab (“ISO 20653”) shows 12 laboratories — 6 Polish (the same) and 6 Czech from ČIA scopes (among others Elektrotechnický zkušební ústav, IDIADA CZ, Institut pro testování a certifikaci) — checked with a query of the tab on the labcoda.pl production server on 02.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (PCA entries). “Degree of protection IP” in the range IP 1X–4X, X4, X5, X6, X6K, X7, X8, X9K (AB 1340) or 1X–4X, 5KX, 6KX, X1–X8 (AB 1552); “Leak test — protection against dust” and “protection against water” IPX4, IPX4K, IPX9K, IPX6, IPX6K (AB 1776, AB 1974); “Water resistance” (second digit 1–9K) and “Resistance to dust penetration and ingress of solids, protection against access” (AB 128); objects: elements and assemblies of electrical and electronic equipment of cars, machinery and equipment used in vehicles.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. With the designation: an enclosure that passed IPX9K or IPX7 does not thereby have IPX6K or lower — they have to be tested separately and designated together (6). With the letter K: degrees 4K, 5K, 6K and 9K are ISO 20653 requirements, not IEC 60529 — a result according to IEC 60529 is not a “K” result (introduction). With protection against access: the additional letter gives access only when it is higher than from the first digit (5). With IPX8: the conditions of continuous immersion are set by the supplier and vehicle manufacturer — without these conditions in the report, “IPX8” says nothing (Table 4). With the edition: the IPX9K result according to the 2013 and 2023 editions may differ, because the conditions and the measurement of the jet impact force were changed (foreword).

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We do not have the clauses with test requirements: apparatus, type and quantity of dust, times, water pressures and flow rates, nozzle distances, water temperature for 9K, immersion conditions, evaluation criteria after the test or the annexes — so we give none of these values.

Method principle

The enclosure of a vehicle’s electrical equipment is subjected to standardized tests: probes of specified diameter (50; 12,5; 2,5; 1,0 mm) and a test finger check protection against foreign objects and access, a dust chamber — dust protection (5K) and dust tightness (6K), and sprays, jets, immersion and high-pressure cleaning — protection against water (1–9K); the result is recorded as an IP code with digits and letters.

Applications

• Elements and assemblies of electrical and electronic equipment of cars — dust and water tightness tests; 6 laboratories in PCA scopes, in the tab also 6 Czech laboratories
• Verification of vehicle manufacturers’ requirements (in scopes next to it: VW 80332, VW 75174, LV 214) and company IP code specifications
• Equipment exposed to high-pressure and steam-jet cleaning (IPX9K) and to immersion (IPX7, IPX8)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

ISO 20653:2023 (bez wydania PN)

Title (PL)

Pojazdy drogowe — Stopnie ochrony (kod IP) — Ochrona wyposażenia elektrycznego przed ciałami obcymi, wodą i dostępem

Title (EN)

Road vehicles — Degrees of protection (IP code) — Protection of electrical equipment against foreign objects, water and access

Step-by-step procedure

1. Establishing the required code

   Read the required IP code (e.g. IP6KX, IPX6K/IPX9K) and the operating state (letter M or S). ISO 20653:2023 valid from 30.08.2023, no PN edition (as of 02.10.2026).

2. Foreign objects and access

   Probes according to the first digit and the additional letter; evaluation: “does not penetrate completely” or keeping a distance from hazardous parts.

3. Dust (5K, 6K)

   Test in a dust chamber; 5K — dust only in a quantity harmless to operation and safety, 6K — no dust inside the enclosure.

4. Water

   Each required degree separately — 7, 8 and 9K do not replace lower ones; for 8 conditions agreed with the vehicle manufacturer; test parameters according to the standard (we do not have them).

5. Evaluation and recording

   Check the effects (operation, safety, quantity of water or dust); record the code with the “K” letters and, where needed, combined (e.g. IPX6K/IPX9K).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• The standard contains no safety warnings in the part we read; IPX9K tests (high-pressure water and steam) require shielding and protective measures according to the setup instructions
• TECHNICAL NOTE: degrees 7, 8 and 9K do not cover degrees up to 6K — each has to be demonstrated separately

Frequently asked questions