SIRIUS Size S2 power contactor — the 65 A at 480 V rating sets the load boundary
The Siemens 3RT2038-3AK64-3MA0 is a SIRIUS Size S2 power contactor rated 65 A at 480 V, which means it can switch motor or resistive loads up to that current at 480 V AC — a common industrial voltage for 3-phase equipment. The spring-type terminals on the magnet coil speed up panel wiring: no screwdriver torque needed, just push the conductor in. Mounting is screw and snap-on onto a 35 mm DIN rail per DIN EN 60715, so it drops into any standard control-panel rail without adapters.
Switching frequency and mechanical life — what the ratings mean for your cycle profile
The contactor is rated for 500 operations per hour at AC-3 (motor switching) and AC-3e, and 700 ops/h at AC-1 resistive load. If your application cycles faster than that — say a rapid reversing conveyor — you need to stay within these limits to avoid contact welding. Mechanical life is 10 million operations typical, which for a line running one cycle every 30 seconds gives roughly 9.5 years of continuous service before the mechanism wears out.
Clearance and mounting position — panel integration constraints
The contactor measures 55 mm wide, 114 mm high, and 178 mm deep. For side-by-side mounting on DIN rail, you need 6 mm clearance at the side, 10 mm upwards and forwards, and 10 mm downwards — these are the minimum gaps for heat dissipation and arc extinction. The mounting position allows +/-180° rotation on a vertical surface, and it can be tilted forward/backward by +/-22.5°, which is useful when the panel layout forces an angled orientation.