What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3RT1036-3BE40 is a SIRIUS S2 power contactor, designed for switching motor loads and resistive loads in industrial control panels. It mounts via screw and snap-on onto a 35 mm DIN rail per EN 50022, with a 55 mm width that fits standard panel layouts. Its AC-2 rating of 22 kW at 400 V covers wound-rotor motor duty, while the AC-4 rating of 41 A at 400 V handles reversing and plugging applications — the high inrush and frequent switching that AC-3 duty does not demand. For reference, the AC-3 rating at 500 V is 30 kW, and at 690 V it is 11.4 kW.
Termination and wiring
Main current circuit connections use screw-type terminals. The terminal block accepts stranded wire from 2x (0.75... 25 mm²) and solid wire from 2x (0.25... 2.5 mm²). The combined solid-or-stranded range is 2x (0.75... 16 mm²). At 40 °C, the minimum permissible conductor cross-section is 16 mm². The front of the contactor carries an IP20 rating, meaning finger-safe access during panel servicing. The terminal area itself is IP00, so live parts are exposed when the panel door is open — standard for this class.
Environmental and mechanical ratings
Operating temperature range is -25 to +60 °C; storage range is -55 to +80 °C. The degree of pollution is 3, which means the contactor is rated for conductive pollution environments typical of industrial enclosures without climate control. Mechanical life is rated at 10 million operations typical. Switching frequencies: 1 000 cycles/hour at AC-1 maximum, 800 at AC-3, 400 at AC-2, and 300 at AC-4. Arcing time is 10 to 15 ms; the DC coil operates at 20 to 25 ms. Dimensions: 112 mm height, 55 mm width, 130 mm depth. Side-by-side mounting is permitted, which simplifies multi-contactor panel layouts.
Compliance and documentation
The contactor carries a substance prohibitance date of 05/01/2012, indicating RoHS compliance from that date. Standard Siemens SIRIUS documentation (declaration of conformity, CE marking) applies per the brand's product line.