Understanding IP Ratings For Warning Lights for Police Cars, Fire Trucks, Ambulances, and Work Trucks
An IP (Ingress Protection) rating is a two-digit standard defined by IEC 60529 that measures how well an enclosure resists dust and water. The first digit (0–6) rates solid particle protection; the second (0–9K) rates liquid protection. For emergency vehicle and work truck equipment, understanding IP ratings means understanding how your gear will hold up in the field.
- An IP rating’s two digits tell you everything: the first (0–6) measures dust protection, the second (0–9K) measures water resistance — IP69K is the highest level available for both.
- For fire and EMS equipment, IP67 is the minimum worth specifying — it means the device can handle submersion. IP69K goes further, withstanding high-pressure, high-temperature washdowns.
- Federal Signal’s IP69K-rated products are built for the conditions first responders actually face — no generic distributor guide can match that product authority.
How IP Rating Impacts Police, Car, Fire Truck, and Work Truck Warning Lights
IP ratings are an extremely valuable tool for those purchasing warning lights for first responder and work truck vehicles. Police cars, work vehicles, fire trucks, and ambulances often operate in adverse conditions including rain, sleet, snow, and hail, as well as in dusty and dirty settings. Understanding the degree of protection offered by a certain light helps the buyer understand the extent to which they can expect their LED truck lights to stand the tests of time. When it comes to warning lights such as beacons, light bars, and spotlights, the higher the degree of protection the better.
What Is IEC 60529? The Standard Behind IP Ratings
IEC 60529 refers to the specific code produced by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) that explains the standards and testing requirements for those seeking an IP rating for their product. Originally published in 1976, the standards are updated regularly, most recently in 2019.
What Does the First Number in IP Ratings Mean?
The first number in an IP rating refers to a product’s ingress protection abilities against solids. Ingress protection against solids is measured on a scale of zero to six, with six offering the highest degree of protection. A rating of six means that the product is dust-tight, and that there was no ingress of dust within the product.
What Does the Second Number In IP Ratings Mean?
The second number in an IP rating refers to a product’s ingress protection against liquids. This scale runs from zero to nine, with nine being the highest degree of protection. Ratings between 7, 8, and 9 are ideal for a work truck and first responder vehicles that are exposed to harsh conditions.
In addition to the second number, there is an optional character that can be added to a rating to offer additional context regarding the product’s ingress protection. Additional characters are located directly after the second number. One common character included in IP ratings is the letter “K”. This addition to the IP rating scale was developed by the German Institute for Standardization Registered Association (DIN), and denotes a product’s ability to withstand ingress during high pressure, high-temperature steam jets, and is intended to show a product’s ability to withstand hot water or steam cleaning.
IP65-Rated Warning Lights — Full Dust Protection, Low-Pressure Water Resistance
IP65 is the standard starting point for light bars and mini-light bars operating in rain, dust, and general outdoor conditions.
Determining a good IP rating is entirely dependent on the setting and industry in which you work, as this will dictate the intensity of the ingress protection required. That being said, IP65 is a strong starting point that will prove sufficient in many applications.
IP65 ensures full protection against dust while also providing protection from low-pressure water jets from any direction. IP65 is the standard starting point for light bars and mini-light bars operating in rain, dust, and general outdoor conditions. Federal Signal offers a variety of light bars with this rating, including:
Police |
Fire/EMS |
Work Truck |
Valor® Light BarVision® SLR |
Valor® Light Bar |
IP67-Rated Perimeter Warning Lights
IP67 offers full protection against dust while also offering liquid ingress protection while the light is submerged in water less than 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. Federal Signal offers a variety of lights carrying this designation, including:
Police |
Fire/EMS |
Work Truck |
|
MicroPulse® C-Series Perimeter Light |
MicroPulse® C-Series Perimeter Light |
IP68-Rated Exterior Lights
For those seeking amber, blue, red, or white warning lights with an even greater ingress protection rating, Federal Signal offers a couple of work truck perimeter lights with IP68 ratings. These lights offer complete dust protection and can be submerged in water under pressure for extended periods without allowing ingress. Federal Signal’s IP68-rated perimeter lights are linked below.
Fire/EMS |
Work Truck |
IP69K-Rated Equipment — The Highest Protection for Emergency and Industrial Use
IP69K is the highest ingress protection rating in the IP scale, and it’s the standard Federal Signal builds to for equipment that has to survive the harshest wash-down and duty-cycle conditions in the field.
What IP69K testing actually involves
To earn an IP69K rating, equipment is tested against high-pressure, high-temperature water jets — water heated to approximately 80°C (176°F) sprayed at 8–10 MPa of pressure from all angles, simulating a 360° wash-down. The device has to come through that test with zero water ingress. It’s the same test standard used to certify equipment for heavy-duty vehicle wash bays and industrial cleaning environments, and it sits above every other rating on the IP scale — IP69K equipment is also dust-tight and fully submersible, but the defining feature is that it can withstand direct, sustained, high-pressure jetting without failure.
Below are some of Federal Signal’s IP69K truck lights:
Police |
Fire/EMS |
Work Truck |
The lights highlighted throughout this blog will prove sufficient for many different types of vehicles including police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks, snow plows, and utility trucks.
Contact us for more information on our IP69K products.
Frequently Asked IP Rating System Questions
Q: What does IP rating mean?
A: IP stands for Ingress Protection. An IP rating is a two-digit standard (IEC 60529) that describes how well an enclosure protects against solid particles (first digit, 0–6) and liquids (second digit, 0–9K). IP69K indicates full dust protection and resistance to high-pressure, high-temperature water jets.
Q: What is the difference between IP67 and IP68?
A: IP67 means the device can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. IP68 allows deeper or longer submersion at the manufacturer’s specified rating. Both offer complete dust protection.
Q: What IP rating is needed for fire truck or emergency vehicle lighting?
A: Emergency vehicle warning lights should carry a minimum IP67 rating. Federal Signal’s Fire/EMS products include IP69K-rated options — the highest standard available — for equipment exposed to firefighting operations and high-pressure washdowns.