What are the ingress protection (IP) rating requirements for LED streetlights?
Since LED streetlights are installed outdoors and exposed to harsh weather conditions—such as sun, rain, wind, sand, ice, and snow—they require a high level of ingress protection (IP rating). According to the Chinese national standard GB/T 24827-2015 ("Performance requirements for road and street lighting luminaires"), the IP rating for LED streetlights must be at least IP65.
Specific explanation: IP6X indicates complete protection against dust ingress (the highest level of dust protection). IPX5 indicates protection against water jets; the luminaire must not suffer harmful water ingress when sprayed from any direction using a 6.3mm nozzle at a flow rate of 12.5 L/min. For areas frequently exposed to heavy rain, vehicle washing, or high-pressure water jets (such as tunnels or toll stations), an IP66 rating (protection against powerful water jets at 100 L/min) is recommended. IP67 may be selected for low-lying road sections prone to temporary submersion. However, ratings of IP67 and above generally entail higher costs and can impede heat dissipation, so they are typically reserved for special applications.
In addition to the IP rating, streetlights should possess corrosion resistance (especially in coastal or industrial areas); housing materials should consist of corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy or undergo rigorous coating treatments. Sealing gaskets should be made of aging-resistant silicone rubber or EPDM.
When purchasing, one should request an IP rating test report from the manufacturer and verify whether waterproof cable glands are used at the cable entry points. Luminaires with insufficient protection ratings are prone to damage from water ingress after just a few months of use, leading to driver short-circuits and LED corrosion.
