Evaluation of IEC 60529 as a standard for liquid protection assessment of portable electronics

• This study evaluates the IEC 60529 standard in terms of its use to assess the liquid-protection of products over their useful life. • A more appropriate approach is developed to assess the liquid-protection ability of portable electronics, using smartphones as an example. • Based on what's suggested in this paper, appropriate suite of tests needs to be developed in order to assess the liquid-protection capability of portable electronics over their useful life. Some manufacturers use the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60529 standard, “Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code),” to assess their products’ liquid-protection capabilities, as well as market their products. While the standard provides tests to assess some aspects of water-protection, the original intent of IEC 60529 standard is not aligned with the requirements for reliability testing or long-term liquid protection assessment for portable electronics. This study shows that the appropriate suite of tests is required to determine a product's liquid-protection capabilities over the useful life of the product, and there is no existing standard that assesses whether portable electronics can be operated under normal anticipated liquid conditions during their lifetime. This paper presents the limitations of the IEC 60529 standard, provides examples of its inadequacies, and gives recommendations for improvements, with a focus on smartphones. Real-world use conditions, as well as operational stresses that impact liquid protection capability have been identified through tests and reports sourced from smartphone manufacturers and users. Recommendations aim to provide a guideline for assessing long-term liquid protection, with potential adoption by IEC/TC committees and manufacturers, to enhance the reliability of portable electronics.