What is the Rain Test Chamber?

Temperature and relative humidity are the two atmospheric factors that affect all climatic tests on products and materials, remaining relevant even in tests that do not place them at the center of the experiment.

However, these are not the only relevant atmospheric factors.

For example, precipitation is relevant in the life of many products and materials, including the most common: rain.

The rain test chamber serves exactly this purpose.

What is the Rain Test Chamber Used For?

All materials and products are subject to degradation caused by exposure to rain. Some, however, are more susceptible than others, and this includes electrical and electronic devices.

Both outdoor devices, such as antennas and satellite dishes , which are regularly exposed to rain, and those that are only occasionally exposed —like your cell phone—must demonstrate a certain level of resistance to rain and water in general.

This criterion is called: “degree of protection for enclosures of electrical equipment” and is defined by an internationally recognized standard, IEC 60529.

The same standard also defines the degrees of protection from dust that we discussed here. 

As for rain, the standard outlines nine degrees of increasing protection. It ranges from "IP x0: no protection" to "IP x8: device protected against the effects of submersion"; this is obviously intended for electronic devices intended for underwater use. In between, there are the various degrees of protection required forconsumer electronics , such as: "IP x3: device protected against rain falling at an angle of up to 60°" or "IP x5: device protected against jets of water."

Depending on the intended use of the device - usually whether it is used indoors or outdoors - it must demonstrate a certain degree of protection through the rain test.

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How the Rain Test Chamber Works

The rain test chamber is a climatic chamber appropriately equipped with diffusers capable of simulating the action of rain and, more precisely, the cases outlined in IEC 60529.

As in all climatic chambers, in the rain test chamber it is possible to adjust the temperature and relative humidity, parameters that also come into play in the rain test, as we anticipated at the beginning.

Rain simulation equipment , on the other hand, can vary greatly in terms of shape, power, and performance, depending on the level of protection you intend to test

Always referring to the IEC standard, the instrumentation is required to reproduce precise and very different effects such as: “falling water drops with a maximum inclination of 15°”, “water splashes”, “powerful waves and jets of water” up to actual immersion.

For this reason, it is always a good idea to contact the manufacturer of your rain test chamber directly to understand what requirements can be met with the available equipment.

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The FDM Rain Test Chamber

FDM climatic chambers can be equipped with different types of diffusers to meet the requirements of IEC 60529.

Depending on the customer's needs, our technicians will install the appropriate equipment to conduct the rain test on electronic instruments, in accordance with the required level of protection.

For further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Reference Standards

• IEC 60529 — Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP code IPX1-IPX9K)
• MIL-STD-810H Method 506.6 — Rain test procedure
• ISO 20653 — Protection against environmental impacts — Automotive IP code
• RTCA DO-160G Section 10 — Waterproofness test for avionics
• ASTM D6459 — Determination of Erosion Control Blanket performance (artificial rain)

Authoritative Sources

• IEC 60529 — IP code reference standard.
• ISO 20653 — Automotive IP code (IPX6K, IPX9K).
• MIL-STD-810H — Rain and freezing rain test methods.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Rain Test Chamber

What do IPX5, IPX6, IPX7 and IPX9K mean?

The second digit of the IP code defines water tightness: IPX4 spray from any direction (10 L/min, 5 min); IPX5 jets 12.5 L/min from a 6.3mm nozzle; IPX6 powerful jets 100 L/min from a 12.5mm nozzle; IPX6K (automotive) 75 L/min at 10,000 kPa; IPX7 immersion 1m for 30 min; IPX8 prolonged immersion over 1m; IPX9/IPX9K high-pressure jets at high temperatures (80°C, 14-16 MPa, 12-15 L/min) — typical automotive self-cleaning car washes.

How do you simulate rain in a test chamber?

Two main methods: Spray nozzle array with nozzles calibrated for constant intensity (mm/h) — typical IPX1-X4 according to IEC 60529. Oscillating tube with oscillating tubes rotating ±60° or ±180° around the sample — required for omnidirectional spray IEC 60529 fig.5. For MIL-STD-810 rain: intensity 1.7-4.3 mm/min (monsoon rates) with 18 m/s wind simulated by axial fan to simulate driving rain.

What test for automotive IP protection?

According to ISO 20653: IPX6K (high-pressure jets) and IPX9K (high-temperature pressure washer washing). IPX9K is the most severe: 5 nozzle positions at 100-150mm distance, 16 MPa, 80°C, for 30 s per position. Under-vehicle automotive components (parking sensors, wiring, ABS modules) must pass IPX6K+IPX9K. IP67 sealing is standard for body parts and non-critical engine compartment parts.

Difference between IP testing and MIL-STD rain testing?

IP tests (IEC 60529) are binary pass/fail tests for mechanical enclosure protection . MIL-STD-810 Method 506 tests evaluate operation in real rain : the product must function properly during the test, not just withstand it. Also included are “blowing rain” with wind and “dripping rain” simulating condensation from overhead surfaces. For avionics, DO-160G Section 10 is added with R/S/W categories for different operational severity levels.