IP Rating Classification
What is IP44? Why is IP44 sufficient for outdoor use?
IP rating (Ingress Protection rating) indicates the degree of protection a light fixture has against solid objects and moisture. The higher the rating, the more it is protected against dust, water and insects. For normal residential outdoor gardens, IP44 is the recommended rating. IP44 provides sufficient protection from the elements, rain or shine in such applications.
Why not use IP65?
IP65 is a very high protection rating. This rating is usually recommended only for extreme conditions. This kind of rating even protects from water jets. This rating is over-specified for regular residential garden conditions. As such, having IP65 unnecessarily increases cost with any added benefit for regular home owners.
First digit (the level of protection against the ingress of solid foreign objects). Second digit (the level of protection against harmful ingress of water).