What Is IP68 Ingress Protection Rating?

An IP (Ingress Protection) code has two digits: the first denotes protection against solid particles (dust), the second against water. In IP68, the '6' means complete dust-tightness, and the '8' means resistance to continuous submersion at a depth and duration the manufacturer specifies.

For underwater pool LED luminaires and any submerged electrical equipment, IP68 is effectively the minimum requirement — lower ratings like IP65/IP67 may handle splashing or brief immersion but aren't sufficient for a light fixture that stays underwater continuously.

The IP68 rating alone isn't enough on its own: the depth/duration value behind it (e.g. '1m / 24h' vs '4m / continuous') varies by manufacturer — always confirm in the technical datasheet that this figure actually covers the pool's real water depth.