What the 40 A rating means for your motor branch
The GV3L406 is a 3-pole motor circuit breaker from the TeSys Deca range, rated 40 A continuous (In) and designed for motor protection in AC-3 duty (IEC 60947-4-1). That 40 A line-up matches a 18.5 kW motor at 400/415 V AC, or 22 kW at 500 V, or 37 kW at 690 V — so it covers a solid band of European-voltage motor loads without needing a frame size bump. The magnetic trip is fixed at 560 A (14× In), which means it clears short-circuit faults fast — no thermal adjustment to second-guess. For a 40 A motor branch, that trip level is high enough to ride through starting inrush (typically 6–8× FLA) but low enough to protect the downstream cable and contactor from a bolted fault.
Breaking capacity — where it holds and where it derates
Rated 100 kA Icu at 230/240 V AC, 50 kA at 400/415 V, 12 kA at 500 V, and 6 kA at 690 V. At the common 400 V industrial bus, 50 kA is enough for most panelboards with a transformer upstream — you only need to worry if the fault current at the board exceeds that figure, in which case a current-limiting upstream breaker or fuse is called for. The unit is Category A per IEC 60947-2, meaning it is not intended for selective coordination with downstream breakers — it trips fast on a fault. That is standard for a motor circuit breaker; the coordination with the contactor and overload relay is handled separately in the starter assembly.
Mounting and integration into the panel
Clips onto 35 mm symmetrical DIN rail or screws directly with 3× M4 screws — the DIN-rail option saves panel space and speeds replacement. The connection pitch is 17.5 mm without spreaders, so you can land ring terminals with a 6 N·m torque spec on the lugs. IP20 finger-safe front, dark grey housing, 55 mm wide × 132 mm high × 136 mm deep. That depth (136 mm) is the dimension to watch when the gland plate or enclosure door clearance is tight — it is the dimension from the DIN-rail foot to the farthest protrusion of the rotary handle.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
Listed as current-production (active lifecycle stage). Approvals include EN/IEC 60947-2, EN/IEC 60947-4-1, UL 60947-4-1, CSA C22.2 No 60947-4-1, plus fire-resistance tested to 960 °C (IEC 60695-2-11) and suitability for isolation per IEC 60947-1. Climatic withstand conforms to IACS — marine-grade environmental testing, which matters for shipboard or offshore panel builds.