What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3RT1046-1AR00 is a SIRIUS S3 power contactor, rated for switching motor loads in industrial control panels. It carries a 55 kW rating at 500 V and 45 kW at 400 V under AC-2 duty, which covers slip-ring motor starting and reversing — the kind of load you see on crane drives, hoists, and conveyor reversers. The AC-4 rating of 80 A at 400 V handles plugging and inching, so it's built for frequent jogging cycles, not just steady-state running. The contactor uses screw-type terminals for the main circuit, accepting solid conductors up to 4 mm² per clamp (2x 0.75...4 mm²) and stranded up to 50 mm² (2x 10...50 mm²). That covers most motor feed cables up to 50 mm² without needing lug adaptors. The front carries IP20 protection with the cover and box terminal fitted — standard for live-part guarding inside an enclosure.
Mounting and integration
Mounts via screw or snap-on onto 35 mm and 75 mm standard mounting rail. The S3 frame is 70 mm wide and 146 mm tall, with a depth of 139 mm — that's the dimension you need for gland-plate clearance and door swing. Side-by-side mounting is allowed, which keeps multi-contactor groups compact on the DIN rail. Operating temperature range is -25 to +60 °C, storage from -55 to +80 °C. Pollution degree 3 means it's rated for conductive environments typical of industrial panels — no special conformal coating needed for most factory-floor conditions.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
RoHS compliance date is May 1, 2012, so it meets the EU substance restrictions. The contactor carries the usual IEC/EN ratings for a SIRIUS power device; no UL or CSA mark is listed in the spec record, so verify with the factory if your panel requires those agency approvals.