Winches, Water & IP Ratings: A Practical Guide to Understanding Waterproof Winches

When choosing a winch, especially for off-roading or demanding work, water resistance is a crucial factor. You'll often see winches advertised with IP67 or IP68 ratings, but what do these numbers really mean? Are these ratings reliable? This guide will demystify IP ratings and help you understand how they apply to winch durability, ensuring you choose a winch that can withstand wet and challenging conditions.

What Are IP Ratings?

"IP" stands for Ingress Protection, a standard used to rate how well an electrical enclosure (like a winch housing) protects against intrusion from solids (like dust) and liquids (like water). These ratings are crucial for understanding how reliable your winch will be in harsh conditions.

• The First Number: Solid Particle Protection: This number indicates the level of protection against solid objects.
  • A rating of 5 means it’s "Dust protected" - some dust may get in but won't interfere with operation
  • A rating of 6 means it's "Dust-tight" - complete protection against dust and contact.
• The Second Number: Liquid Ingress Protection: This number shows the level of protection against liquids, the higher the number the better the protection.
  • 7 means the winch is protected against immersion in water for a defined period, usually 30mins at 1 meter.
  • 8 means the winch is suitable for continuous immersion to depth specified by the manufacturer, usually over 1m.

IP67 vs. IP68 Winches: What's the Real Difference?

While both IP67 and IP68 are high ratings, they have a key difference:

• IP67: Tested for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter (approximately 3.3 feet) with no water intrusion.
• IP68: Tested at a deeper depth (usually greater than 1 meter) and for a longer period of time, specified by the manufacturer (but must be more than 30 mins).

In short, an IP68-rated winch provides a slightly higher level of protection against immersion, though a winch rated IP67 should be water resistant enough for most off-road conditions.

Are IP Ratings Always Reliable?

It's important to know that these ratings are typically self-certified. Winch manufacturers should use a special paste inside winch components, then submerge the winch, after which, they would open the winch to check for water ingress. However, there's no governing body or requirement that these tests are undertaken or are done honestly.

What This Means For You:

• Trust Your Manufacturer: Choose reputable brands that have a history of producing quality products.
• Be Wary of Unfamiliar Brands: Especially when shopping on marketplaces like Amazon. Always do your due diligence.
• Look for Reviews: Reviews are a good way to determine a winches long term performance in water.

How IP-Rated Winches Can Fail

Despite high IP ratings, winches can fail in wet conditions. Here's why:

• Seal Quality: Winch seals (plastic lip seals) can easily be damaged during assembly, misaligned, or simply wear down with age. These issues can directly degrade their ability to keep out water, dirt and dust.
• Electrical Components: Electrical connectors and solenoids should be potted or sealed to resist water. However, poor quality materials or manufacturing can lead to failures.
• Age and Wear: Seals can degrade over time, and that degradation will affect performance.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Winch From Water

While IP ratings are a good guide, you can take extra steps to extend your winch's life:

• Regular Maintenance: Inspect seals, connectors, and electrical components frequently.
• Use Protective Sprays: Consider using waterproof sprays or coatings to protect exposed areas.
• Avoid Submersion: While IP-rated winches are designed to handle water, avoid prolonged submersion whenever possible.
• Storage: Dry your winch completely after exposure to water.

Understanding IP ratings is essential for choosing a winch that can withstand the elements. While IP ratings offer a guide, choosing a reputable manufacturer and performing regular maintenance is important for your winch's longevity. By being informed, you can choose the right winch and take the necessary precautions to ensure it performs when you need it most.

Shop our range of high-quality, IP-rated winches here. Shop here.