A charger reaches IP65 or IP66 by sealing every path into its enclosure — housing seam, door, display window and, above all, cable entries — then proving the complete, assembled unit in the IP test: a dust chamber for the first digit, water jets for the second. The hardware is a gasket that stays evenly compressed, and glands matched to their cable.
Key Takeaways
- IP65 and IP66 are built at the seam, the window and the cable entry — not printed on the label.
- Gaskets seal by staying evenly compressed; glands seal only when matched to the cable.
- The lab tests the complete assembled unit: dust chamber for the 6, defined jet nozzles for the 5 and 6.
- EVDANCE states each model’s rating; the test report behind it is a document to request on an order.
Where Dust and Water Actually Get In
An enclosure rating is won or lost at its openings:
- The parting line — the seam where the housing halves or the door meet the body.
- Cable entries — where the supply cable enters and the charge cable leaves. Every entry is a designed hole.
- The user surface — display windows, buttons, RFID readers, each fitted through the shell.
- The connector side — sockets, holsters and caps facing the weather.
- Fasteners and vents — screw penetrations, and the vent path a sealed box needs.
What each digit promises is set out in our comparison of IP54, IP65 and IP66; this article covers the engineering behind them.
The Sealing Hardware: Gaskets and Glands
The gasket is a continuous elastomer seal — silicone and EPDM are the usual families — seated in a groove along the seam and compressed evenly by the fasteners. Two things decide whether it still seals in year five: resistance to compression set (the slow loss of spring), and an even-pressure groove and fastener pattern.
Cable glands do the same job around a round cable, sealing on its outer jacket; the clamping range must match the jacket diameter — too loose, water tracks along the cable; too tight, the jacket deforms. The gland is a factory and a field concern: the supply entry is often completed by the installer, and the wrong gland quietly removes the rating at one point. Sealed connectors, caps and breathable membrane vents (air passes, water does not) complete the set. Keeping these paths intact on site is part of testing an EV charger after installation.
How the Lab Tests It
| What is tested | Method | What the lab checks afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| First digit, 6 — dust-tight | The complete enclosure in a chamber of circulating fine dust for up to eight hours, under partial vacuum | Opened and inspected: no dust in a quantity that would affect operation or safety |
| Second digit, 5 — water jets | Jets from a 6.3 mm nozzle, from all practical directions | Ingress inspection, then safety checks such as insulation |
| Second digit, 6 — powerful jets | The same test with a 12.5 mm nozzle — a heavier, harder jet | As above: ingress inspection and safety checks |
Two features matter to a buyer. The sample is the whole product as sold — housing, window, glands, cables fitted — so the report names the configuration covered. And the test uses a new unit: ageing, sunlight and field opening sit outside the certificate. The report is evidence about a design, not a promise for every year.
Specifying IP65 or IP66 on an EVDANCE Order
EVDANCE states the rating per model: most portables, such as the EV-ACS3210E Type 2 portable, are IP66; the EV-ACT5006T wall charger carries the IP65/IP66 pair; the EV-AC03201T station is IP54. The pages state the rating, not the test file behind it. On a purchase or private-label order, ask for the report for the exact model and variant — laboratory, standard edition, configuration — and ensure the installer’s gland and cable choices hold the entry to the same standard. Ask via the OEM and private-label programme or contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the charger tested with its cables attached?
The IP test covers the product in the configuration the laboratory receives and records — housing closed, entries fitted. Ask what configuration a report covers before relying on it for a different variant.
Can an installer destroy an IP66 rating?
Yes. A gland on the wrong cable diameter, an extra drilled hole, or a pinched gasket opens a path the test never saw. The rating belongs to the unit as tested.
Does IP66 mean the connector can be left out in the rain?
The rating applies to the product as tested, and the connector and holster are part of that design. Check the model’s rating and manual — drivers’ handling is in our guide to whether portable chargers are waterproof.
Related Reading
- IP Ratings for EV Chargers: IP54, IP65 and IP66 Compared
- Are Portable EV Chargers Waterproof? IP Ratings Explained for Drivers
- How to Test an EV Charger
- EV Charger Certifications Explained: CE, UKCA, UL, ETL, CB and What Buyers Should Ask For
