Rain, splash, and drip testing all fall under the category of water ingress testing. The purpose of water ingress testing is to measure the resistance of fluids entering a product or damaging the outer surface or enclosure. Rain, splash, and drip testing each cover different types of water ingress, and their testing methodologies are optimized for their respective test types for a product’s intended purpose.
Rain testing is typically done on products that are exposed to the outdoors on a regular basis, such as lighting fixtures, satellite dishes and vehicles. These products must be able to operate reliably, withstanding varying levels of showers. On the other hand, drip testing is typically conducted on products that may only be exposed to water or fluids occasionally, and do not necessarily need the same level of protection that a rain-tested product might need.
Water ingress testing is standardized by IEC 60529 in conjunction with particle ingress standards. Products are given an IP rating that combines the levels of ingress protection that a product is capable of achieving. The second digit of the IP rating defines the level of water protection (while the first digit refers to the product’s protection from particle ingress).
| IP Code Rating | IPXX (solid) | IPXX (liquid) |
| 0 | No protection | No protection |
| 1 | Protection from solids > 50 mm | Protection from water drops |
| 2 | … solids > 12.5 mm | … water drops at 15° angle |
| 3 | … solids > 12.5 mm | … water spray at 60° angle |
| 4 | … solids > 1.0 mm | … water splashing at all angles |
| 5 | Good protection from dust | … water jets at all angles |
| 6 | Full protection/dust tight | … powerful water jets, waves |
| 7 | N/A | … temporary < 1 m submersion |
| 8 | N/A | … permanent < 3 m submersion |
Rain, splash, and drip testing chambers utilize different mechanisms to conduct testing. The main components of such as chamber include a water reservoir, a water pump, and various nozzles to control water pressure and velocity. Drip testing is a mild test that drops water on products with little to no external force; rain and splash testing will generally use a series of stationary or moving nozzles to shower the product with water from multiple angles and directions. Depending on the strength and durability being tested for, the water pressure is adjusted. A flow meter, pressure gauge, and controller are also important components for managing testing.
The chamber type determines the types of products that can be tested. Small products such as phones can be tested on tabletop drip testing chambers, while larger products like vehicles will need to be tested in a drive-in chamber.
One of the testing setups that Relia Test Labs uses is a rain test chamber with a 14,490 L (511.7 ft3) volume interior made with stainless steel. The chamber includes multiple nozzles that are positioned at a fixed angle, aimed at the specimen platform. This platform can be raised up to 0.9 m, tilted to 45°, and accommodates a maximum load of 20 kg. The platform rotates to have a uniform distribution of water jet spray, with the rotation speed controlled by the user. Water is pumped through the nozzles at the specimen, and is recollected by the back-flow pipe for recirculation throughout the duration of testing. The front of the chamber features double swing doors with observation windows.
The chamber tests IPX5, IPX6, and IPX9K standards with preprogrammed functions: IPX5 is tested with nozzles spraying at 12.5 L/min through 6.3 mm diameter nozzles from a distance for 2.5 to 3 m. Slightly stronger than IPX5, IPX6 is tested at 100 L/min from 12.5 mm diameter nozzles from the same distance. IPX9K is a specialized test that uses 80 to 100 bar (1160 to 1450 psi) jet pressure at 80°C. The test conditions of this chamber are in accordance the UL1589 specifications.
Contact Relia Test Labs for assistance with finding the right rain testing chamber for your testing requirements.
Relia Test Labs is accredited with the ISO/IEC 17025 testing and calibration laboratories standard, making us an attractive solution for your testing needs in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
