The Siemens 3RK1300-0FS01-0AA1 is an EM 300 DS electromechanical direct starter, part of the SIRIUS family designed for the ET 200X distributed I/O system. It's a self-contained motor starting and protection unit that integrates a bimetal overload relay and a switching contact, all in one IP65-rated enclosure. Rated for AC-3 duty at 400 V, it handles motor loads up to 0.12 kW and draws a setting range of 0.35 to 0.5 A. The IP65 rating means this starter survives washdown environments — it's built for the machine-mount, not a clean control cabinet.
The 0.35 to 0.5 A setting range governs the bimetal overload trip point. If your motor's full-load amps fall outside this window, this starter won't provide proper thermal protection — you'd need a different setting range variant. The 0.12 kW AC-3 rating at 400 V confirms it's sized for small three-phase induction motors, typical of conveyor drives or small pumps in a distributed I/O node. Operating voltage spans 400 to 500 V, covering standard European 400 VAC three-phase networks. The control voltage is DC, so verify your PLC output card supplies 24 VDC to the starter's coil — common for ET 200X stations but worth confirming before wiring. Short-circuit breaking capacity is 50 A at 400 V. That's the maximum fault current this starter can safely interrupt. Upstream protection — a circuit breaker per — must limit prospective fault current to 50 A or less. If your panel's SCCR at the bus is higher, you'll need a current-limiting breaker ahead of this starter.
Deployment context: where this lives
This starter mounts directly on the machine frame, not a DIN rail in a central cabinet. The IP65 enclosure handles washdown, dust, and oil mist — think food processing lines, packaging machinery, or woodworking cells where the starter sits right at the motor. The 9-pole motor feeder and power connection plug into the ET 200X backplane, so it's a drop-in module for that distributed system. PROFIBUS DP onboard means the starter communicates directly with the PLC over the fieldbus — no separate I/O block needed for start/stop and fault feedback. The brake contact output handles externally supplied DC brakes, typical for vertical-axis motors that need holding torque at standstill. Dimensions are 270 mm high, 140 mm wide, 134 mm deep. That's a compact footprint for a self-contained starter with bus comms, but verify clearance for the 9-pole connector and cable bend radius before panel layout.