We all see references to waterproof devices, water-resistant devices and water-repellant devices being thrown around on electronic products. The big question is: What’s the difference? There are a lot of articles written on this topic, but we figured we would throw in our two-cents as well and take a closer look at the differences between all three terms, with a specific focus on the world of devices.
First of all, let’s start with some quick dictionary definitions of waterproof, water-resistant, and water-repellent, as given by the Oxford English Dictionary:
- Water-resistant: able to resist the penetration of water to some degree but not entirely
- Water-repellent: not easily penetrated by water, especially as a result of being treated for such a purpose with a surface coating
- Waterproof: impervious to water
What Does Water-Resistant Mean?
Water-resistant is the lowest level of water protection of the three. If a device is labeled as water-resistant it means that the device itself may be built in such a way that it is more difficult for water to get inside of it, or possibly that it is coated with a very light substance that helps improve the device’s chances of surviving an encounter with water. Water-resistant is something you see commonly among watches, giving it the power to withstand the average hand-washing or light rain shower.
What Does Water-Repellent Mean?
Water-repellent coatings are basically just a step up from water-resistant coatings. If a device is labeled as water-repellent it actually possesses the properties in which to, you guessed it, repel water from it, making it hydrophobic. A water-repellent device stands a very high chance of being coated with some form of thin-film nanotechnology, whether that is on the inside, outside, or both, and has a much better chance of standing up to water than your average device. Many companies claim water-repellency, but the term is heavily debated because a durable water repellent is rare and because of all the questions and unpredictable elements associated with it.
What Does Waterproof Mean?
Waterproof’s definition is pretty straightforward, but the concept behind it is not. Currently, there is no established industry standard in order for a device to classify as waterproof. The closest thing currently available, as far as a rating scale is concerned, is the Ingress Protection Rating scale (or IP Code). This scale assigns items a rating from 0-8 in terms of how effective the device is at keeping water from entering into it, a.k.a. the ingress of water. Obviously, there is one major flaw in this rating system: What about companies, like us here at HZO who are not concerned about keeping water out of a device in order to save it from water damage? Our coatings allow water inside devices, but the waterproof material we coat the devices with protects them from any possibility of water damage. These companies provide a service that isn’t compatible with what the IP scale measures, but still manage to provide a solution for those customers that want protection from the elements and against the dreaded “death by toilet.”
Using the term waterproof can also be considered a risky move for many companies. This is because the term waterproof usually communicates the idea that this is a permanent condition, and that whatever has been ‘waterproofed’ will never fail due to contact with water–no matter the situation.
Post time: Sep-10-2020