What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3RK1322-0GS02-0AA0 is an AS-i compact direct starter — a self-contained motor start-and-protect unit for a single three-phase motor up to 0.18 kW at 400 V AC-3 duty. It integrates an electromechanical contactor, bimetal overload relay, and short-circuit protection via circuit-breakers into one IP65 housing with tab terminals for the main circuit. The bimetal overload sets between 0.45 A and 0.63 A, so it's sized for a small motor — think a 0.18 kW pump or conveyor drive. The AS-Interface bus connection (yes, it's AS-i, not PROFIBUS) means this starter talks directly to an AS-i master without a separate I/O block — two integrated inputs let you pick up local sensors or pushbuttons and feed them onto the same bus. That saves a junction box and some field wiring.
Where it goes and how it fits
IP65 means this starter lives right on the machine frame or in a small field enclosure — no separate panel required. The 190 mm depth x 120 mm width x 270 mm height footprint fits where a small motor starter box would go, and the tab terminals accept fork or ring lugs for the motor and supply cables. Ambient range of -25 °C to +55 °C covers most indoor and sheltered outdoor spots. The 9-pole motor outgoing feeder and 9-pole power connection mean you land the motor cable and supply on separate multi-pin connectors — no individual wire-by-wire termination at the unit. That speeds swap-out if the starter fails: unplug the two connectors, unbolt the unit, reverse the order.
Key ratings and what they mean for fit
The 0.18 kW rating at AC-3 (400 V) is the motor power this starter can switch under the toughest induction-motor duty — starting and stopping a squirrel-cage motor on load. That's a fixed rating, not a range: the starter is built for exactly that motor size. The bimetal overload's 0.45–0.63 A setting window matches the full-load current of a 0.18 kW motor at 400 V, so you dial in the motor's nameplate FLA. Short-circuit breaking capacity of 50,000 A at 400 V means this starter can safely clear a fault up to that level without welding contacts or rupturing the enclosure. That's a high interrupting rating for a compact starter — it handles most industrial supply points without needing an upstream current-limiting fuse.