What this part is and what it does
The Siemens 3RT1036-1BQ40 is a SIRIUS power contactor in frame size S2, built for switching motor loads in industrial control panels. It carries a 22 kW rating at 400 V in AC-2 duty (slip-ring motors), and 41 A in AC-4 (reversing/inching). At 500 V it handles 30 kW, and at 690 V it handles 11.4 kW — so it covers standard 400 V and 500 V three-phase motor circuits across a range of induction and wound-rotor machines.
Mounting and integration into the panel
Mounts via screw or snap-on onto 35 mm DIN rail per EN 50022. The 55 mm width and 112 mm height fit a standard S2 footprint; side-by-side mounting is permitted, so you can gang multiple contactors on the same rail without a gap. Depth is 130 mm — check gland-plate clearance if the panel is shallow. Front face carries IP20 protection; the terminal area is IP00, meaning the wiring zone is open — standard for panel-mount contactors.
Terminal wiring and conductor sizing
Main current circuit uses screw-type terminals. Accepts solid wire from 2x 0.5 mm² up to 2x 4 mm², and stranded wire from 2x 0.75 mm² up to 2x 25 mm².
Switching performance and life
Mechanical life is 10 million operations typical. Maximum switching rates: 1,000 ops/hr in AC-1 (resistive), 800 in AC-3 (standard motor starting), 400 in AC-2, and 300 in AC-4 (plugging/reversing). Arcing time is 10 to 15 ms; DC arcing time is 20 to 25 ms. These figures matter for high-cycle applications like conveyor indexing or frequent reversing — AC-4 rate is the limiting factor.
DC switching capability
For DC loads: 10 A at 24 V, 2 A at 60 V, 1 A at 110 V, 0.3 A at 220 V, and 6 A at 230 V. The 230 V figure likely refers to AC-1 resistive duty. These DC ratings are modest — the contactor is primarily designed for AC motor switching, not high-current DC breaking.