IK rating: A Crucial Aspect of LED Lighting
The IK08 grade is becoming more and more common for lights, and some projects even call for the IK10. More than 90% of the projects will have rigorous IK rating standards, especially for road lighting bidding projects. What exactly is an IK rating, and why is it crucial for a luminaire? We will go into great depth on the IK rating today.
What is the IK score?
IEC 60068-2-75 revised the 1995 European standard BS EN 50102 to create the current worldwide standard for enclosing electrical equipment, known as IK rating (or impact protection ratings). The European standard EN62262, which is the same as the global standard IEC 62262, was then released in 2002 as a follow-up to this (2002). IK ratings are indicated by the letters IK and a number between 00 and 10. It shows how well the electrical enclosures are protected from external mechanical impacts.
Why is IK rating crucial?
IK Rating items are crucial, particularly if they are in public spaces, busy places, or commercial settings. Safety for both the environment and humans is ensured by high IK. It is essential to make sure that the lights can continue to function effectively even if they are damaged or destroyed due to a specific amount of contact from balls and other items in particular locations, such as football courts, streets, highways, and sports stadiums. If it has a low IK rating, it is more likely to break, creating a danger, particularly in public spaces, such as shattered pieces or a lack of necessary illumination or information. In order to determine whether you require a fixture with a high or low IK Rating, it is crucial to evaluate the danger of an impact.
Two key components of IK testing
Two factors affect the impact energy (measured in joules):
the separation between the test sample and the hammer
The hammer's mass
Table of IK rating test standards
| IK rating | Testing capability |
| IK00 | Not protected |
| IK01 | Protected against 0.14 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.25kg mass dropped from 56mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK02 | Protected against 0.2 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.25kg mass dropped from 80mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK03 | Protected against 0.35 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.25kg mass dropped from 140mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK04 | Protected against 0.5 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.25kg mass dropped from 200mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK05 | Protected against 0.7 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.25kg mass dropped from 280mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK06 | Protected against 1 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.25kg mass dropped from 400mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK07 | Protected against 2 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 0.5kg mass dropped from 400mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK08 | Protected against 5 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 1.7kg mass dropped from 300mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK09 | Protected against 10 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 5kg mass dropped from 200mm above-impacted surface. |
| IK10 | Protected against 20 joules impact Equivalent to impact of 5kg mass dropped from 400mm above-impacted surface. |
Other aspects of IK testing
We believe that the IK rating test for LED lighting should be conducted under the necessary atmospheric conditions (temperature and pressure), with the impact applied to the entire bulb. We must also choose the number of impacts to be generated, their distribution, as well as the size, shape, and substance of the numerous hammers (items) created to generate the necessary energies.
IK Ratings is therefore quite arbitrary. The effect location is not specified in EN 62262. Moreover, testing does not call for the use of components like hinges and locks. Because the location of the impacts might alter the enclosure's IK rating, it is crucial to comprehend the manufacturer's testing process. It's important to remember that if anything has an IK rating, it must also have the corresponding IP rating. For instance, the enclosure might be designated as both IP66 and IK06 at the same time if it keeps its IP66 rating after passing the test for IK06 protection. The enclosure must be marked as IK08 and IP54 protection or IK06 and IP66 if it successfully passes IK08 protection testing but only retains IP54 protection. How it cannot be classified as both IK08 and IP66 if the findings of one test affect those of the other. Please read our article on the crucial factor IP rating if you're curious about the light IP rating.
