What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3RT1036-1AR64 is a SIRIUS power contactor in the S2 frame size, rated for motor switching at 30 kW at 500 V and 22 kW at 400 V under AC-2 duty — that's the category for slip-ring motor starting and reversing, where the contactor sees moderate inrush but makes and breaks the load current each cycle. For AC-3 squirrel-cage motor starting, the 400 V rating is the one that governs real-world fit for most pump, fan, and conveyor loads. The contactor also carries a 11.4 kW rating at 690 V, so it can handle higher-voltage motor circuits in 690 V industrial networks. Auxiliary contact ratings cover 10 A at 24 V, 6 A at 230 V, and 3 A at 400 V, which covers most PLC output and relay interposing circuits you'd wire into the control loop. The main circuit uses screw-type terminals, and the coil is rated for 400 V at 50 Hz and 400-440 V at 60 Hz, with an operating range of 0.8 to 1.1 times rated voltage at 50 Hz and 0.85 to 1.1 at 60 Hz — so it holds in during brownout conditions down to about 320 V.
Panel fit and wiring
The contactor measures 55 mm wide, 112 mm high, and 164 mm deep, and mounts via screw and snap-on onto a 35 mm DIN rail per EN 50022. That's a standard footprint for the S2 frame — it'll drop into any panel with the rail already laid out. Side-by-side mounting is permitted, so you can gang multiple contactors without spacing, which saves rail real estate on multi-motor groups. Terminal capacity accepts solid conductors from 0.5 mm² up to 4 mm² (two per clamp), and stranded up to 25 mm² (two per clamp). For mixed solid/stranded, it handles 2x 0.75 to 16 mm². That covers everything from control wiring up to motor power tails in a typical 30 kW circuit. The front of the contactor is IP20 — safe for finger-probe access inside the panel — while the terminal area is IP00, meaning live parts are exposed at the connection point, which is standard for enclosed contactors.
Environmental and service life
Operating temperature range is -25 to +60 °C, storage from -55 to +80 °C, with pollution degree 3 — suitable for industrial environments with conductive dust or occasional condensation. Mechanical service life is rated at 10 million cycles typical. Maximum switching frequencies vary by duty: 1000 cycles/h for AC-1 resistive loads, 800 for AC-3 motor starting, 400 for AC-2, and 300 for AC-4 plugging/reversing. The coil operating time is 7 to 20 ms AC, with arcing time 10 to 15 ms.