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Onboard electronics are certain to be exposed to at least a little moisture, but how much is too much? Here’s how to understand the various ratings and identify how well a product might hold up to life afloat.
Even when kept under cover, boat electronics are exposed to all kinds of challenging environments.
As a sailor, I’d love to claim that the first time I really worried about the waterproof rating of my boat’s electronics was while doubling the Horn or some other such salty endeavor. Instead, it occurred during the Pearl Harbor “Dinghy Wars” of ’93, when my dock neighbor Phil lobbed a water-balloon “grenade” into the cockpit, squarely on top of my new handheld VHF radio.
Shrieking like a little girl, I quickly wiped it down and consulted the owner’s manual in efforts to determine its chances of surviving a direct water bomb hit sans the protection of its clear vinyl bootie. Unfortunately, my lack of knowledge concerning how to interpret the standards rendered them pretty much useless.
It’s easy to see where the bafflement begins when trying to find out just how weatherproof a piece of gear really is. Simply look at the equipment’s specifications sheet. Somewhere, variously recorded under “Environmental” or possibly “Case,” will be ratings like IPX5, JIS6, IP45, or maybe even some vague reference to USCG CFR 46.
Sound puzzling? Well, stand by for heavy rolls as the confusion continues, even with a term we think we understand, like “waterproof.”
What is ‘waterproof’?
My idea of a waterproof handheld VHF might be one that can emerge unscathed after being dropped into 10 feet of water for the hour or so it takes me to dig out my dive gear and find it. A manufacturer, on the other hand, may view “waterproof” as something that can survive a dunking in the dinghy’s bilge for a few seconds – or maybe just an operator’s sweaty fingers.
Ambiguous terms like “waterproof,” “submersible,” “splashproof,” “drip-resistant,” and “watertight” are all worthless unless they’re defined as part of a recognized standard. There are numerous, quantifiable standards a manufacturer can reference to accurately rate how environmentally sealed its products are. However, even these carry their own brands of customer confusion. Not all are universally known or accepted (such as when a manufacturer has its own testing procedures), and even those differ in varying degrees as to requirements a piece of gear must meet to earn a specific rating.
For example, a manufacturer stating its equipment can tolerate submersion in 2 feet of water for an hour provides a concrete representation of what the item can take. Such individually developed evaluations make it easier to compare laboratory tests to real-world conditions. However, the lack of a “master standard” still places the burden of determining how these (and even the more recognized ratings) compare with each other squarely on the consumer.
Is IPX5 better than JIS6? And how do both compare to IEC 529? Here’s a rundown on the ratings you’re most likely to encounter and what information they do and don’t provide.
What the ratings mean
IPX RATINGS IP stands for “Ingress Protection.” IPX rating is the marking that denotes the level of protection primarily against water or dust. For example, equipment rated at IPX4 would be protected against splashing water from any direction, while those rated at IPX7 would remain waterproof in water up to 3 feet for 30 minutes.
JIS SCALE The Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) is a rating system designed to define the level of waterproofness built into VHF radios. Like IPX, the JIS standard employs a 0 to 8 scale to rate water ingress protection. A rating of JIS-5 means the radio remains protected when exposed to direct jetting water from any direction, what it considers “jet-resistant.” A higher rating of JIS-8 means the radio is “submersible” and remains waterproof when continuously submerged in water to a specific depth.
IEC 529 This rating by European Community Specifications is similar to JIS in terms of graduated test scales. However, the IEC tests used to determine equipment ratings are more defined. IEC standards use a two-digit IP code to numerically rate electrical gear based on level of protection provided by the case or enclosure. The first number provides the protection against solids (e.g., dust), while the second number provides the level of protection against water. In the code IP45, for example, the “4” describes protection against solid foreign objects, while the “5” describes protection against low pressure jets of water from all directions. (In comparison, a number “7” here would indicate the unit remains waterproof when submerged up to 1 meter.)
This ICOM handheld VHF is rated to IPX7 for dust and water, provided the jack cover (above) or other approved accessory is attached.
The manufacturer no longer guarantees the rating if the unit is dropped, however.
What this means for you
Some manufacturers may increase their warranty periods and include repair of water-damaged equipment in an effort to make their products “appear” more waterproof and, therefore, more competitive. In many cases, the waterproof qualities of the equipment remain the same with only the warranty having changed, which may suggest to the consumer that the unit is more waterproof than it is.
Although a straight-up marketing ploy, it at least gives the buyer protection in the form of a more comprehensive warranty. This is a good thing. However, bear in mind, the cost of replacing these damaged units is incorporated in a higher purchase price and may generate additional frustrations in the form of more returns for repair and having to do without the items while they’re being repaired.
In my experience, when it comes to waterproof integrity, you typically get what you pay for. I look for quality construction and attention to details – particularly regarding things like switches, charging or accessory plugs, and inlets. Are they well-designed and robustly constructed? Do they look weather-resistant or waterproof (if so rated)? Either may be fine depending on your use. However, if you need waterproof, select a unit that is not only rated as such, but actually looks like it is.
In a perfect world, all equipment ratings would be issued under a single, universally accepted standard that allowed quick, easy comparisons with categories everyone could understand and interpret. Until that happy day, a little research and comparison shopping is a buyer’s best defense against getting soaked when purchasing that new piece of gear.
8 product-evaluation tips
Here are some real-world tips from our BoatU.S. Magazine technical editor on how he evaluates the quality of “waterproof” items. Much of this applies to lights but can also apply to other types of devices and protection.
1. Consider the brand and the cost. Good quality design, construction, and materials are expensive. For flashlights and spotlights, Streamlight and Pelican are around the top in my book in the category, although there are other good brands.
2. Buy a purpose-built product. For example, in my opinion, Streamlight has exceptional versatility as to its types of lights, with a lot of research and development going into heavy-duty, job-specific uses such as you’d need around the yard, in the engine room, or looking in a tiny hole. Products made by this company also have structural integrity as to features such as battery types, battery seating, seals, openings, switches, brightness, focus of light, and on-the-job posture (such as a spotlight also serving as an area light). The company says its products have various levels of water protection but doesn’t claim that they’re for use as deep-dive lights. If I need a dive light, I might get it from Pelican because, in my opinion, many are built as such and built well. They’re not only rated for diving depths, but some have features such as a gas-absorbing pellet or pressure-relief valve to deal with gas discharging from batteries and mixing of water (particularly seawater) with batteries.
3. How sturdy does it look, including when disassembled?
4. Check the O-rings. I give O-rings and the way they fit special attention. They shouldn’t come off or get crimped or dislodged if you open the end. And if you need more O-rings, they should be easily obtainable from the manufacturer. If there is a shaft on a volume adjustment or on/off knob, I try to see what type of O-ring it goes through and if you can inspect and service that O-ring with factory-recommended lube or if it’s vulnerable.
5. Inspect the details. If there’s a flexible covering over a button switch that’s supposedly designed to keep out water and dust, I look closely at how it is secured, how robust it is, and whether it can be easily replaced.
6. Scrutinize openings and switches. I consider all the openings in the case and their protective gasketing. I also pay close attention to the switches; they’re critically important in lights. For example, some have magnetic switches. There’s no opening in the case, just an external slide and magnet on the outside of the case. The actual current-bearing contacts are inside, and the reed responds to the magnet as you slide it to make or break contact internally.
7. Review the ratings. Obviously, light ratings such as those for candela and lumen are important. But to secure those ratings, the product must have features that last.
8. What’s the warranty? Liberal return policies are helpful and tell me a company stands behind its products. — TOM NEALE