160 A electronic-trip MCCB for solar distribution
The Schneider Electric SOL40B3E160 is a 3-pole EasyPact Solar MCCB rated 160 A at 40 °C, with a 25 kA breaking capacity at 800 V AC — sized for the higher system voltages common in commercial and utility-scale photovoltaic arrays. The electronic ETU trip unit provides LSI protection (long-time, short-time, and instantaneous), with thermal memory to prevent nuisance tripping on repeated inrush. The 800 V AC operational voltage (EN/IEC 60947-2) covers the typical 600–1000 V DC bus on the inverter AC side after transformation. The IP20 finger-safe front terminals (screw-type, front-connect both sides) allow panel wiring without live-part exposure during maintenance.
The 25 kA Icu at 800 V AC (performance level B) determines where this breaker sits in a selective coordination study. For a 160 A frame, 25 kA is a mid-range interrupting rating — adequate for most secondary distribution panels fed from a transformer below 1000 kVA, but not for high-fault utility tie points. The Category A utilization (no intentional short-time delay for selectivity) means coordination relies on the ETU's adjustable S-curve rather than a fixed delay band. Electrical endurance is rated at 4000 cycles at full rated current and 800 V; mechanical endurance at 20000 cycles. For a solar combiner or inverter output breaker switched only a few times per year, this is more than sufficient — the endurance limit is not the constraint in this application.
Fixed-mount on a backplate with a 40 mm pole pitch. The 120 mm wide × 205 mm high × 105 mm deep footprint fits standard MCCB panel cutouts. Accepts horizontal or vertical mounting — no derating required for orientation.