What this contactor is and where it fits
The Siemens 3RT1374-6AE36 is a SIRIUS contactor in frame size S12, designed for switching motor loads and resistive loads in industrial control panels. It is a current-production part, so it remains a standard BOM line item rather than an obsolescence watch. The coil is rated for 20-60 V AC at both 50 Hz and 60 Hz, drawing 8.5 VA apparent power at either frequency. That means the control transformer or PLC output driving it must be sized for that inrush, not just the holding VA — a common oversight when swapping from a DC coil contactor. Main contact ratings span the standard utilization categories: 4 A at 230 V, 3 A at 400 V, 2 A at 690 V. The auxiliary contact block is built in — 2 NO + 2 NC instantaneous contacts — so no separate add-on module is needed for basic status feedback or interlocking.
Panel integration and wiring
Mounting is by screw fixing to a vertical surface, with the option to rotate the contactor ±180° or tilt it ±30° forward or backward. That flexibility helps when the contactor must sit in a tight corner of the enclosure and the coil terminals need to face the gland plate. Dimensions: 184 mm width × 225 mm height × 180 mm depth. Clearances: 10 mm above and below, 20 mm in front, 10 mm at the sides. Terminals accept solid or stranded conductors from 1 mm² to 4 mm², single or paired. That covers the typical control wiring range for a contactor this size — no need for ferrule adapters unless your panel standard mandates them.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
The lifecycle stage is current; Siemens still manufactures this order code. No announced phase-out or last-time-buy date.
Environmental and operating range
The contactor operates across -40 °C to +60 °C ambient, with storage range extending to +70 °C. That covers most indoor industrial environments and unheated warehouses. The operating time is 45-80 ms for both AC and DC coil types — consistent with standard SIRIUS contactor dynamics.