Application of Water Spray Test in Verifying Product Waterproof and Protective Capabilities—Based on the LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System

Abstract:
The water spray test is a core method for verifying the waterproof and protective capabilities of electronic and electrical products. By simulating water ingress conditions in different water environments such as natural rain, high-pressure spray, and deep water immersion, it can accurately determine the IP waterproof rating of products. Taking the LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System as the research object, this paper analyzes the test principle, equipment composition and test parameters of each grade of the water spray test, expounds the specific application of the water spray test in the detection of product waterproof performance in combination with the requirements of national and international standards, and provides technical references for the waterproof quality control of electronic and electrical products.Keywords: Water spray test; Waterproof protection; IP rating; LISUN JL-X; Test system

1. Core Value and Test Principle of the Water Spray Test
The water spray test is a testing method for detecting the protective capacity of product enclosures by artificially simulating water environments with different forms, pressures and flow rates in accordance with standards such as GB 4208 and IEC 60529. Its core value lies in reproducing the water ingress scenarios that products may encounter in actual use, such as rain splashing, high-pressure water spraying and product falling into water and immersion, so as to accurately verify the sealing performance and waterproof protection level of products.

The underlying principle of the water spray test centers on two cores: scenario equivalent simulation and precise and controllable parameters. On the one hand, different test modules such as dripping, rain shower, water spraying and immersion are used to simulate real water environments such as daily condensed water dripping, outdoor rain splashing, high-pressure water gun washing, and product falling into water and immersion respectively. On the other hand, PLC control systems, pressure sensors, flow meters and other devices are used to strictly control key parameters such as water pressure, water flow rate, test duration and water temperature, ensuring the standardization and repeatability of test conditions and avoiding test result distortion caused by parameter fluctuations. For electronic and electrical products such as LED lamps and rotating electrical machines, the water spray test can directly determine whether they meet the waterproof requirements of IPX1 to IPX8 grades, and it is a core detection method for authoritative testing institutions and quality control departments.

waterproof test Equipment JL-X

2. Composition of Water Spray Test Equipment in the LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System
The LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System is an open integrated testing device that can complete the full-grade water spray test from IPX1 to IPX8. According to the test requirements of different waterproof grades, the system is divided into four test modules: dripping, rain shower, water spraying and immersion. All modules cooperate with each other to achieve full-scenario water spray test coverage from mild dripping to deep water immersion. Its core equipment composition and functions are as follows:
• Dripping Test Chamber (JL-12): Designed for the IPX1 and IPX2 grade water spray tests, it simulates the scenarios of vertical dripping and 15° inclined dripping. The diameter of dripping holes is 0.4mm with an interval of 20mm, and it can carry samples within 150kg, meeting the waterproof test requirements of daily slight dripping environments.
• Swing Pipe Rain Test System (JL-34) + Handheld Shower Device (JL-34S): Corresponding to the IPX3 and IPX4 grade water spray tests, it simulates the scenarios of outdoor rain splashing and all-round water splashing. The swing pipe radius is optional from 0.2m to 1.6m, the swing angle is 120° for IPX3 and 180° for IPX4, the water pressure adjustment range is 50-150kPa, and the test duration is calculated as 1 minute per square meter of the sample’s surface area with a minimum of 5 minutes.
• Water Spray Test System (JL-56): Aimed at the high-grade IPX5 and IPX6 water spray tests, it simulates the high-pressure water spray scenario. Equipped with special nozzles of φ6.3mm (for IPX5) and φ12.5mm (for IPX6), it accurately controls the water flow rate to 12.5±0.625L/min (for IPX5) and 100±5L/min (for IPX6).
• Immersion Test Tank (JL-7/JL-8): Completes the immersion-type water spray tests for IPX7 and IPX8 grades. JL-7 simulates short-time immersion at a water depth of 1m, and JL-8 can be customized for high-pressure immersion at a water depth of 0-50m, meeting the waterproof test requirements of extreme water environments such as product falling into water and underwater operation.

3. Parameters and Test Requirements of Each Grade of Water Spray Test Based on the LISUN JL-X
The water spray test of the LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System strictly abides by standards such as GB 4208-2008 and IEC 60529. There are clear differences in the water spray test parameters, test conditions and judgment criteria for each IP waterproof grade. The specific data are shown in Table 1. All tests require the samples to be placed in the installation state specified by the manufacturer, and the qualified judgment basis is no harmful water ingress and normal function after the test.
Table 1 Core Parameters of Each Grade of Water Spray Test of the LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System

Note: For the IPX7 test, if the sample height is ≥850mm, the highest point is required to be 150mm below the water surface; the IPX8 test needs to be equipped with LS-EU800W2-55L/LS-US800W2-55L air compressor to provide pressure support.

4. Key Application Points of the Water Spray Test in Product Waterproof Protection Verification
• Standard Compliance: The water spray test must strictly follow product-specific standards such as GB 7000.1 and IEC 60598 as well as the general protection standard GB 4208, ensuring that the test methods and parameters meet national and international requirements, and the test results can be recognized by authoritative institutions.
• Sample Pretreatment: Before the test, accessories should be assembled according to the actual use state of the product, and key waterproof parts such as seals and interfaces should be kept in the factory state. If the product needs to be tested with power on, the test safety requirements should be confirmed in advance to avoid accidents such as short circuit.
• Parameter Calibration: Before the test, parameters such as water pressure, flow rate, swing angle and water depth need to be calibrated, especially the nozzles of the JL-56 Water Spray Test System and the pressure device of the JL-8 Immersion Tank, to ensure that the parameter error is within the range allowed by the standard.
• Result Judgment: The internal water ingress of the sample should be inspected immediately after the water spray test. “Harmful water ingress” is defined as water ingress that causes potential safety hazards, performance degradation or structural damage to the product, and a small amount of non-harmful water ingress is not judged as unqualified. At the same time, the electrical function of the product should be retested to ensure that the product performance is normal after the waterproof test.

5. Conclusion
As a key technology for verifying the waterproof and protective capabilities of products, the standardized and scenario-based testing characteristics of the water spray test have become an important link in the R&D, mass production quality inspection and certification testing of electronic and electrical products. Through modular design, the LISUN JL-X Waterproof Test System realizes the integrated detection of the full-grade water spray test from IPX1 to IPX8. Its precise parameter control and strict standard compliance can effectively simulate the water ingress conditions in different water environments, providing reliable data for the judgment of the waterproof grade of products such as LED lamps and rotating electrical machines.

With the development of electronic and electrical products towards outdoor and multi-functionalization, the technical requirements of the water spray test will be continuously improved. In the future, it is necessary to further optimize the intelligence and automation level of testing equipment, realize real-time monitoring and digital recording of water spray test parameters, provide more accurate technical support for the optimization of product waterproof design and quality control, and promote the implementation of industry waterproof protection standards.