Contactor selection brief
The Siemens SIRIUS 3RT1017-2AV02-1AA0 is a size S00 power contactor rated for 400 V at 50/60 Hz, delivering 5.5 kW at 400 V under AC-3 duty. This is the rating that governs motor switching — the AC-3 figure, not the AC-1 resistive current, is what you size against for standard induction motor loads. At 690 V it also carries 5.5 kW, so the contactor is voltage-limited, not power-limited, at the higher rail. The AC-4 rated operating current is 8.5 A at 400 V, which matters for reversing or inching duty where the contactor makes and breaks stalled-rotor current. If your application cycles through AC-4 frequently, that 8.5 A figure is the hard limit, not the AC-3 power rating. Mounting is screw or snap-on onto 35 mm DIN rail per EN 50022, so it fits standard panel layouts. The 45 mm width (three 15 mm modules) is the S00 footprint — no surprises for panel fill factor.
Termination and wiring
Main current circuit terminals are spring-loaded, accepting 2x (0.25 to 2.5 mm²) solid or stranded, or 2x (24 to 14 AWG). That's a standard range for control panel wiring up to the rated current. No screw torque to verify, which saves time on repetitive terminations. The contactor is rated for side-by-side mounting without derating, so you can gang multiple units on the same DIN rail without spacing gaps — useful when panel density is tight. IP20 on the front and at the terminals means it's protected against finger contact but not against moisture ingress; keep it inside a rated enclosure.
Coordination and protection
For Type 2 coordination (no damage to the contactor on a short circuit), the required upstream fuse is gL/gG 20 A. For Type 1 coordination (contactor may need replacement after fault), the fuse can be 35 A. This is the selectivity data a panel designer needs for the short-circuit rating of the branch. Operating temperature range is -25 to +60 °C, with pollution degree 3 (conductive pollution or dry non-conductive that becomes conductive). That covers most industrial control panels without forced cooling, but verify if ambient regularly exceeds 60 °C. Maximum operating altitude is 2 000 m without derating. Above that, dielectric strength and air circulation drop — not a concern for most sites, but worth noting for high-altitude installations.
Lifecycle and sourcing
Mechanical endurance is rated at 30,000,000 operating cycles typical. That's the mechanical life — electrical life will be lower depending on the switching load (AC-3 vs AC-4, current magnitude). For high-cycle applications like conveyor indexing, this contactor will outlast most electromechanical relays in the same panel.