What the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens 3RT1456-2XJ46-0LA2 is a SIRIUS contactor in the S6 frame size, designed for switching resistive and motor loads in industrial control panels. Its headline AC-1 rating of 96 A at 480 V defines the continuous resistive current it can carry — that's the figure to use for heater banks or lighting loads. For motor duty, the AC-3 rating (not listed here but typical for this frame) governs the breaking of locked-rotor current; the 96 A AC-1 value gives headroom for derating when switching inductive loads in a petrochemical environment where the contactor sits inside a safety instrumented function loop. The contactor occupies a 172 mm height by 120 mm width by 170 mm depth envelope, mounted via screw fixing to a vertical surface. The mounting position allows plus/minus 90° rotation and plus/minus 22.5° tilt forward/backward — useful when fitting into a congested panel where the DIN rail orientation is constrained.
Termination and auxiliary contacts
The contactor accepts 2x (0.25 to 2.5 mm²) solid or stranded conductors per clamp — typical for control wiring up to 14 AWG. An auxiliary switch is integrated, which simplifies adding feedback to a PLC or safety relay without a separate add-on block. Arcing time falls between 10 and 15 ms, and the DC operating time is 80 to 90 ms. These timing figures matter when coordinating with upstream protective devices for selectivity — the arc clears fast enough to avoid nuisance fuse blowing on a motor branch circuit.
Environmental limits and clearances
The contactor operates across -40 to +70 °C ambient and survives storage from -55 to +80 °C — adequate for unheated warehouses or outdoor enclosures in temperate climates. Minimum air clearances are 10 mm upwards, 10 mm downwards, 10 mm at the side, and 20 mm forwards; respect these to avoid arc flash between phases in a 480 V panel.