IP65/IP66?
- Thread starter Gav
- Start date
rc mad
Registered user
Finally something i know about 
ip ratings are split into two sections the first number then the second. First number designates the protection against solids, the second the protection against liquid ingress.
First number 6 means that the unit is totally sealed against dust, it'll go as low as 0 which is no protection. Second number 5 is protection against low pressure jets of water from all directions, 6 is protected from high pressure jets of water from all directions with limited ingress allowed (at high pressures).
The ip65 switch should do the job, but i'd go for the ip66 one, just cos it will be definitely protected against any water ingress that you could encounter on a bike.
If you want to get really serious ip68 is the way to go, protected from long periods underwater at pressure
ip ratings are split into two sections the first number then the second. First number designates the protection against solids, the second the protection against liquid ingress.
First number 6 means that the unit is totally sealed against dust, it'll go as low as 0 which is no protection. Second number 5 is protection against low pressure jets of water from all directions, 6 is protected from high pressure jets of water from all directions with limited ingress allowed (at high pressures).
The ip65 switch should do the job, but i'd go for the ip66 one, just cos it will be definitely protected against any water ingress that you could encounter on a bike.
If you want to get really serious ip68 is the way to go, protected from long periods underwater at pressure
Finally something i know about
ip ratings are split into two sections the first number then the second. First number designates the protection against solids, the second the protection against liquid ingress.
First number 6 means that the unit is totally sealed against dust, it'll go as low as 0 which is no protection. Second number 5 is protection against low pressure jets of water from all directions, 6 is protected from high pressure jets of water from all directions with limited ingress allowed (at high pressures).
The ip65 switch should do the job, but i'd go for the ip66 one, just cos it will be definitely protected against any water ingress that you could encounter on a bike.
If you want to get really serious ip68 is the way to go, protected from long periods underwater at pressure
Eeee LAd Thee's Done Thaw Homework Well!!!
Actually Appreciate the Indepth reply Now we all know something More than we did Afore we read the above Post
Nice One
Respect
Mind you probably unnecessary to fit IP68 to a 1200as the fuel pump wotsit is about IP10!!! 
Anyone see what I did there ???
rc mad
Registered user
no homework required, ip ratings actually mean something where i work 
ip10 will be protection with gaps no less than 50mm and bugger all water protection. Sounds about right from what i hear.
ip10 will be protection with gaps no less than 50mm and bugger all water protection. Sounds about right from what i hear.
Hi RC
Thanks for the reply and the info. However, I knew what the two parts of the rating meant. I just wondered if IP65 was up to the job as I already have one or whether I should try and get hold of an IP66 one. An IP66 which suits is proving harder to find. As you say...
What I'm after is a neat wee rocker switch which I can fit to the console. As I said, I already have an IP65 one.
Cheers
Gav
Thanks for the reply and the info. However, I knew what the two parts of the rating meant. I just wondered if IP65 was up to the job as I already have one or whether I should try and get hold of an IP66 one. An IP66 which suits is proving harder to find. As you say...
Still not further on.
What I'm after is a neat wee rocker switch which I can fit to the console. As I said, I already have an IP65 one.
Cheers
Gav
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there is a third number too just not used much it's for mechanical impacts 
here's a diagram of the first two digits
and some converters
http://www.sensorsone.co.uk/ip-rating-checker.html
here's a diagram of the first two digits
and some converters
http://www.sensorsone.co.uk/ip-rating-checker.html
Gav,
Just fit an Autoswitch. You won't have to worry about an IP rating then http://www.nippynormans.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AUT-5NB&variation=&aitem=2&mitem=145
Just fit an Autoswitch. You won't have to worry about an IP rating then http://www.nippynormans.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AUT-5NB&variation=&aitem=2&mitem=145
I'm planning to fit some lights to the bike and was wondering about the switch. Will an IP65 rated one be sufficient or should I be looking for IP66?
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Ok, What is the IP rating of the standard switches on the GSs then?
I've been riding, breaking and fixing/bodging the things back together for most of my life. I don't remember ever seeing a waterproof switch on a bike yet
Or is it that I have no idea what I've been doing for the last thirty years?Why is it that people out there are taken in by the 'waterproof 12 volt switch myth' ?????????
My 1200gs was dropped in a river with the engine running 'as have many other bikes' not just GSs either. We pick them up and drain them out and ride on, no problem. We ride our bikes in heavy rain, no problem. We leave them out side all night in all weathers, no problem.
So why would anyone need a waterproof switch for your extra lights?
No offence meant Gav. It just makes me
to see companies claiming that we should need waterproof swithches, when the rest of the bike hasn't got them. I'll be fitting lights to both my partners bike and my own quite soon. I won't be worrying about weatherproof switches.
Val.
Rolf
Guest
When I fiitted extra lights, in my ignorance (never having heard of an IP number until now) I bought a toggle switch from Halfords (one which lights up) for about a quid and velcroed it to the bottom of the instrument binnacle. After a year of being used every day it still works fine, although I have had to replace the velcro!
ahebron
Registered user
Well thats obviously because you didn't specify IP68 velcro when you first did the job. Believe me it makes all the difference
Hi Val
I don’t know what IP rating the standard switches have. That’s partly why I thought I’d ask for some help on here.
I’m not sure that it’s as simple as saying that a switch is or is not waterproof. The IP numbers are ratings of protection.
RC Mad seemed to understand what I was getting at- 65 possibly good for the job, 66 even better, which was exactly the conclusion I had come to.
“Why is it that people out there are taken in by the 'waterproof 12 volt switch myth' ?????????”
I don’t believe I have been taken in. Are you suggesting that an IP66 rated switch offers no more protection against water than a non-rated switch? It just seemed a sensible precaution. I’m not sure who you’re referring to when you mention “companies claiming that we should need waterproof switches”. It seems fair enough to me that manufacturers make switches with different levels of protection to suit the needs to which they might be put. I currently have a rocker switch which I bought from R.S. and it has an IP65 rating and wondered if I should really have an IP66 one. I was just looking for some advice. Thanks for the input though.
I don’t know what IP rating the standard switches have. That’s partly why I thought I’d ask for some help on here.
I’m not sure that it’s as simple as saying that a switch is or is not waterproof. The IP numbers are ratings of protection.
RC Mad seemed to understand what I was getting at- 65 possibly good for the job, 66 even better, which was exactly the conclusion I had come to.
“Why is it that people out there are taken in by the 'waterproof 12 volt switch myth' ?????????”
I don’t believe I have been taken in. Are you suggesting that an IP66 rated switch offers no more protection against water than a non-rated switch? It just seemed a sensible precaution. I’m not sure who you’re referring to when you mention “companies claiming that we should need waterproof switches”. It seems fair enough to me that manufacturers make switches with different levels of protection to suit the needs to which they might be put. I currently have a rocker switch which I bought from R.S. and it has an IP65 rating and wondered if I should really have an IP66 one. I was just looking for some advice. Thanks for the input though.
rc mad
Registered user
gav, the ip65 one will do the job just fine
Hi Val
I don’t know what IP rating the standard switches have. That’s partly why I thought I’d ask for some help on here.
I’m not sure that it’s as simple as saying that a switch is or is not waterproof. The IP numbers are ratings of protection.
RC Mad seemed to understand what I was getting at- 65 possibly good for the job, 66 even better, which was exactly the conclusion I had come to.
“Why is it that people out there are taken in by the 'waterproof 12 volt switch myth' ?????????”
I don’t believe I have been taken in. Are you suggesting that an IP66 rated switch offers no more protection against water than a non-rated switch? It just seemed a sensible precaution. I’m not sure who you’re referring to when you mention “companies claiming that we should need waterproof switches”. It seems fair enough to me that manufacturers make switches with different levels of protection to suit the needs to which they might be put. I currently have a rocker switch which I bought from R.S. and it has an IP65 rating and wondered if I should really have an IP66 one. I was just looking for some advice. Thanks for the input though.
Hi Gav,
I think you may have misunderstood my post a little. This is not meant to be any form of attack on you personally, but a rant about sellers taking advantage of unsuspecting buyers, causing them to spend unnecessary amounts of money on things they don't need.
I'm not suggesting the IP ratings are in any way suspect. On the contrary IP numbers are very important for the purposes they are meant.
It's the sellers of the switches that annoy me when they infer that you will be needing a premium priced waterproof switch, when in actual fact you don't need a waterproof switch at all. Motorcycle and Auto electrical dealers being amongst the worst.
Looking at the chart above I would rate the standard switches at IP40 (and thats being generous IMHO)
I haven't personally pulled a 1200 switch apart to see if it's waterproof (besides I'm quite confident it isn't) But I have had cause to dismantle the 650 switches (as well as those of many other bikes), and there isn't any form of seal in them. They have however been completely submersed in water with the engine running, with no adverse results
My advice to anyone thinking of purchasing a waterproof switch would be this:
Don't waste your money on a waterproof switch as it will be the only waterproof switch on your bike.
If the only reason you're buying it is because you've been told by the seller that you need to have a waterproof switch (he's having you on). It's quite possibly just so he can make more money out of your purchase.
However! If you are buying the switch because you like the look of it and simply MUST have it on your bike. Then go ahead my friend
the look and feel of your bike is after all most important to you, as indeed mine is to me.Val.
Hi Val
I can assure you this was not a case of a seller taking advantage of an unsuspecting buyer. I bought the switch from R.S. and they didn't know what I was intending to use it for. They had what I thought was a neat looking IP65 rated rocker switch which seemed like it might fit the bill. I believe the price of the switch was £5.99 which I didn't think sounded too bad. I just wanted to check that it would be O.K. before I cut a hole in my console to mount it.
Cheers
Gav
I can assure you this was not a case of a seller taking advantage of an unsuspecting buyer. I bought the switch from R.S. and they didn't know what I was intending to use it for. They had what I thought was a neat looking IP65 rated rocker switch which seemed like it might fit the bill. I believe the price of the switch was £5.99 which I didn't think sounded too bad. I just wanted to check that it would be O.K. before I cut a hole in my console to mount it.
Cheers
Gav
andyclift
Registered user
It's hard to compare the requirements of switches and lights or electronic kit,.
There is no real problem apart from long term corrosion if water gets in a 12v switch. My bike has cheap aftermarket switches that have, pretty well, zero protection and have worked OK for two years.
Lights that leak are a problem though as you finish up with condensation on the inside of the lenses and reflectors can be damaged in the long term (look at the reflectors in some older cars).
When it comes to lights and electronics the higher the better. A 100 mph water blast is pretty powerful and how does one equate that to the IPX6 rating of "strong jets of water". My satnav is supposedly rated to IPX7, i.e. total immersion to half meter, but it still gets condensation inside after a fast run.
There is no real problem apart from long term corrosion if water gets in a 12v switch. My bike has cheap aftermarket switches that have, pretty well, zero protection and have worked OK for two years.
Lights that leak are a problem though as you finish up with condensation on the inside of the lenses and reflectors can be damaged in the long term (look at the reflectors in some older cars).
When it comes to lights and electronics the higher the better. A 100 mph water blast is pretty powerful and how does one equate that to the IPX6 rating of "strong jets of water". My satnav is supposedly rated to IPX7, i.e. total immersion to half meter, but it still gets condensation inside after a fast run.
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