EN 
PT_BR 
With distributed generation technologies in the photovoltaic sector becoming increasingly widespread, we see more and more installations being developed in the most diverse regions of Brazil.
Brazilian regions are susceptible to the most diverse types of environments and climates. Therefore, equipment intended for photovoltaic generation must be prepared to withstand these adversities.
When we talk specifically about photovoltaic inverters, there are several ways to install them, unlike modules, for example, which will always be in open environments.
Inverters can be installed indoors, air-conditioned, covered or even outdoors, being exposed to the elements. For this reason, mainly, photovoltaic inverters must be provided with protection against these types of climatic adversities, including protection against the presence of water and dust.
The protection of equipment is defined by the IP classification, which has several levels. The norm ABNT NBR IEC 60529 “Degrees of protection for electrical equipment enclosures – IP Codes” specifies all levels of protection afforded to this equipment.
It is worth remembering that this nomenclature is not linked to the protection only of inverters, but of any electronic equipment housing, even the most common ones found in our daily lives, such as telephones and cell phones, for example.
The IP classification coding is made up of two numbers. The ten digit is assigned to protection against dust or solid bodies. This digit is classified between the numbers zero (0) and six (6). Below, in Table 1, see the description for each level of protection.
Table 1: IP degree of protection, referring to dust ingress into enclosures
| Ten | IP protection degrees | |
| Digit | Description | Bodies that should not enter |
| 0 | Not protected | Not protected |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects larger than 50 mm. | Parts of the human body, such as hands. |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects larger than 12.5 mm. | Fingers or similar objects with a length greater than 80 mm and with the smallest dimension greater than 12 mm. |
| 3 | Protected against solid objects larger than 2.5 mm. | Tools, wires, etc. with a diameter and/or thickness greater than 2.5 mm whose smallest dimension is greater than 2.5 mm. |
| 4 | Protected against solid objects larger than 1.0 mm. | Wires, ribbons with a width greater than 1.0 mm, objects whose smallest dimension is greater than 1.0 mm. |
| 5 | Protected against dust ingress. | Dust ingress is not completely prevented, but dust must not enter in quantities that could interfere with the operation of the equipment or impair its safety. |
| 6 | Fully protected against dust ingress. | No dust ingress. |
Source: The Electrical Sector Magazine
Likewise, for dust protection, the unit digit gives us the protection parameters against the presence of water. This digit is classified between the numbers zero (0) and nine (9). Let's see below, in Table 2, the description for each level of protection.
Table 2: IP degree of protection, referring to water ingress into enclosures
| Unit | IP protection degrees | |
| Digit | Description | Bodies that should not enter |
| 0 | Not protected | Not protected. |
| 1 | Protected against vertical waterfalls. | Drops of water falling vertically must not cause harmful effects. |
| 2 | Protected against falling water at inclinations of up to 15° from the vertical plane. | Drops falling vertically must not cause harmful effects when the enclosure is tilted at an angle of up to 15° with the vertical plane. |
| 3 | Protected against sprayed water. | Water sprayed at an angle of up to 60° with the vertical plane against the enclosure must not cause harmful effects. |
| 4 | Protected against water projections. | Water sprayed against the enclosure in any direction must not cause harmful effects. |
| 5 | Protected against water jets. | Water projected in jets against the enclosure in any direction must not cause harmful effects (with a flow rate of 12.5 L/min). |
| 6 | Protected against powerful water jets. | When the casing is immersed in water, under conditions agreed by the manufacturer, it must not be possible for water to enter in quantities that cause harmful effects. Protected against powerful jets or waveforms. |
| 7 | Under certain conditions of time and pressure, there is no water ingress. | When the enclosure is temporarily immersed in water under standardized conditions of pressure (shell depth of 1 m) and time (30 minutes), it must not be possible for water to enter in harmful quantities. |
| 8 | Suitable for continuous submersion under specific conditions. | Suitable for continuous submersion under specific conditions |
| 9 | Protected against high temperature and high pressure water jets. | Water projected at high pressure and high temperature (80°C) against the enclosure in any direction has no harmful effects. |
Source: The Electrical Sector Magazine
As seen above, there are several combinations of dust and water protection that can be found on electrical equipment in general. The same rules apply to photovoltaic inverters.
For example, Fronius brand inverters use two levels of protection: IP65 for Primo inverters and IP66 for the Symo, Symo BR and Eco lines.
The Primo family inverters have level 6 dust protection (“Totally protected against dust ingress”) and level 5 protection against the presence of water (“Protected against water jets”).
For Symo, Symo BR and Eco inverters, dust protection is level 6, i.e. “Fully protected against ingress of dust”, and protection against the presence of water is level 6 (“Protected against powerful water jets ”).
The IP65 and, to a greater extent, IP66 protection conditions ensure that inverters do not have their functioning impaired in installations carried out in places with a large accumulation of dust or open places susceptible to rain, or even in places exposed to directed water jets. .
It is worth noting that these degrees of protection are only effective when the inverter is installed correctly, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. In the case of the aforementioned Fronius inverters, the manual guides the installation of the equipment according to the following figure: 
