The Schneider Electric GV3P401 is a 3-pole motor circuit breaker from the TeSys Deca range, rated 40 A with a thermal protection adjustment window of 30 to 40 A. That thermal-magnetic trip covers both overload (thermal, adjustable) and short-circuit (magnetic fixed at 560 A) — so the same device provides motor overload protection and branch-circuit fault interruption up to 100 kA at 230/240 V AC, 50 kA at 400/415 V, and still 6 kA at 690 V. The 40 A setting directly governs the motor full-load current it can protect: at 400/415 V it carries an 18.5 kW motor, at 500 V a 22 kW motor, and at 690 V a 37 kW motor. Phase-failure sensitivity is built in, per IEC 60947-4-1, so a lost phase trips the breaker rather than letting the motor single-phase to destruction. At 400/415 V the 50 kA Icu covers most industrial distribution panels fed by a typical transformer; at 690 V the 6 kA Icu still handles motor-start transients and downstream faults. The part is Category A (no intentional short-time delay), so it clears fast — suitable for motor starters where selectivity is handled upstream. The IP20 finger-safe terminals and IK09 impact rating on the enclosure mean it can live in a standard IP54 panel without additional shrouding.
Listed to EN/IEC 60947-2 (circuit-breaker standard), EN/IEC 60947-4-1 (motor-starter standard), UL 60947-4-1, and CSA C22.2 No 60947-4-1. Also complies with IEC/EN 60335-1 Clause 30.2 and IEC/EN 60335-2-40 Annex JJ for glow-wire / fire-resistance in appliance applications. The fire-resistance test passes at 960 °C per IEC 60695-2-11. Climatic withstand conforms to IACS (marine environment corrosion resistance).
Screw-clamp terminals require 5 N·m tightening torque. The 55 mm width and 136 mm depth fit a standard 8-module DIN-rail slot; vertical or horizontal mounting is allowed. Power dissipation is 8 W per pole, so three poles dissipate 24 W total — plan for natural convection or spacing in a sealed enclosure. Mechanical durability is 50,000 cycles; electrical durability under AC-3 duty at 415 V is also 50,000 cycles — adequate for a motor starter that sees daily starts but not continuous switching. The rotary handle provides local on/off control and a clear position indicator.