The Siemens SIRIUS 3RT2046-1AP00-1AA0 is a Size S3 power contactor rated for 96 A at 480 V, making it suitable for switching motor loads up to 20 hp at 230 V.
The headline 96 A at 480 V is the AC-3 motor-switching rating — the current it can make and break under motor-start conditions. For resistive loads (AC-1), the switching frequency is 900 operations per hour; for the heavy AC-4 duty (plugging/reversing), it drops to 250 operations per hour. The 20 hp at 230 V figure tells you the motor frame size it can drive on a 230 V line. Main contacts are configured as 10 normally open and 2 normally closed (10 NO + 2 NC), which is the standard arrangement for a reversing or star-delta starter where you need one NC interlock per direction. The auxiliary switch is already fitted, so you don't need to order a separate block for basic signaling. Wire sizes accepted: solid 2.5 to 16 mm², stranded 6 to 70 mm² for the main power circuit, and 2x (0.5 to 1.5 mm²) or 2x (0.75 to 2.5 mm²) for the auxiliary/control circuit. That covers most panel wiring from #14 AWG up to #2 AWG on the load side. That's the minimum free air space needed around the contactor for heat dissipation and arc quenching — factor it into your gland-plate layout. That's fast enough for most coordination studies; the contactor clears before a typical upstream MCCB trips on a bolted fault.
Integration notes
Mounting position is standing on a horizontal mounting surface — do not install it on its side or upside down without checking the derating curve. The Size S3 frame (140 mm height, 70 mm width, 152 mm depth) fits a standard 200 mm deep enclosure with room for finger-duct on the sides. Coil terminals are screw-type, not spring-cage. That means you need a screwdriver for termination — plan your wiring tools accordingly. The auxiliary contact ratings span from 10 A at 24 V down to 0.3 A at 220 V, covering PLC input and relay coil loads across common control voltages.