The purpose of potting is twofold. First, it enhances the ingress protection (IP) rating of the unit by
providing a waterproof barrier protecting the components from the intrusion of water under most
circumstances. This is critical for outdoor applications such as streetlights.
Second, since the potting compound normally has much better thermal conductivity than the air, the
potting is used to conduct heat generated by the key power components to the surface of the enclosure. This helps to greatly reduce the thermal stress on these components and thus increases the
lifetime and reliability of the drivers substantially. It is estimated that the potting can typically reduce
the operating temperatures of some of the key power devices by 20-40°C.