What it is — and what the ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens 3RT2036-1AN60 is a SIRIUS power contactor in the Size S2 frame, designed for switching motor loads in control panels. The headline number is 52 A at 480 V AC-3 — that's the motor-switching rating, not the resistive-heat rating, so it tells you the contactor can handle a 52 A three-phase induction motor at 480 V line-to-line, which is roughly a 40–45 hp motor at that voltage. The 3-pole main contacts handle the power circuit; an auxiliary switch is built in for feedback or interlock wiring. Mechanical life is rated at 10,000,000 operations typical, but the electrical life depends on duty. The datasheet caps switching frequency at 800 cycles/hour for AC-3 and 250 for AC-4 — AC-4 is plugging/reversing, which wears contacts faster. If your application runs frequent reversals, the AC-4 limit is the one that governs contact life. Mounting is screw and snap-on onto 35 mm DIN rail per DIN EN 60715. The 55 mm width and 130 mm depth mean it occupies a standard 55 mm module on the rail — plan for that footprint in your gland-plate layout. Clearance distances: 10 mm upwards, forwards, and downwards; 6 mm at the sides. Those are the minimum air gaps to maintain for arc flash containment and heat dissipation.
Sourcing and lifecycle — current production, quoted to order
Lifecycle stage is marked as current — this is an active, in-production catalog number. No end-of-life notice or last-time-buy date is on record. The part is sourced through independent distribution channels and quoted to order against an RFQ. Availability and current pricing are confirmed at quote time.
Panel integration — DIN rail, wire sizes, and mounting position
Snap it onto 35 mm DIN rail per DIN EN 60715 or screw-mount if preferred. The coil terminals are screw-type, accepting 2x (0.5 to 1.5 mm²) or 2x (0.75 to 2.5 mm²) solid or stranded wire. Strip length isn't in the evidence, but standard practice for this terminal class is 8–10 mm. Mounting position is flexible: ±180° rotation on a vertical surface, and can be tilted forward/backward by ±22.5° on a vertical surface. That covers most panel layouts — no forced upright-only restriction. Operating temperature range is -25 to +60 °C; storage range is -55 to +80 °C.
Switching frequency and arcing — duty-cycle limits
Maximum switching rates: AC-1 (resistive) 1,000 cycles/h, AC-2 (slip-ring motors) 600 cycles/h, AC-3 (squirrel-cage motors) 800 cycles/h, AC-3e (enhanced AC-3) also 800 cycles/h, AC-4 (plugging/reversing) 250 cycles/h. Arcing time is 10 to 20 ms; closing time is 10 to 18 ms. These are the numbers to check if your PLC cycle time or safety circuit timing depends on contactor response.
Auxiliary contact ratings — what the numbers mean for control circuits
The built-in auxiliary switch is rated for switching control loads at various DC voltages: 10 A at 24 V, 2 A at 48 V, 2 A at 60 V, 1 A at 110 V, 0.9 A at 125 V, 0.3 A at 220 V, 3 A at 400 V, 0.6 A at 440 V. These are DC-13 ratings for inductive DC loads — the current drops as voltage rises because the arc extinguishes harder at higher DC. For a 24 VDC PLC output driving the contactor coil, the 10 A rating gives plenty of headroom.