What this contactor is and where it fits
The Siemens 3RT1015-1BE41 is a SIRIUS power contactor in frame size S00, designed for switching motor loads and resistive circuits in control panels. It mounts via screw or snap-on onto a 35 mm DIN rail per EN 50022, so it drops into any standard panel layout without adapters.
Key ratings and what they mean for your circuit
The coil is 24 VDC, rated to close at 0.85 of nominal (about 20.4 V) and hold at 3.3 W. That matters if your control supply sags under load — the contactor stays pulled in. The main contacts are rated 10 A at 24 V (AC-12 resistive), and for motor duty: 3 kW at 400 V AC-2 (slip-ring motors) and 6.5 A at 400 V AC-4 (plugging/inching). For AC-3 the rating is 10 A at 400 V (about 4 kW). If you're switching a standard squirrel-cage motor, the AC-3 figure is the one to size against.
Thermal and environmental limits
Operating ambient is -25 to +60 °C, with a maximum altitude of 2000 m. The front face carries IP20 protection — fine for a closed panel, but not for washdown areas. Pollution degree 3 means it tolerates conductive dust and condensation typical of industrial enclosures.
Wiring and terminal details
Screw terminals on the main circuit accept 2x (0.5 to 1.5 mm²), 2x (0.75 to 2.5 mm²), or up to 2x (0.75 to 4 mm²) solid/stranded. For AWG, that's 2x (20 to 16), 2x (18 to 14), or 1x 12. The auxiliary contact block is a single instantaneous contact (1 NO or 1 NC depending on variant). Side-by-side mounting is allowed with zero gap — no derating needed for adjacent units.