152 mm depth — the panel clearance number
The 3RT2046-1AP60-0UA0: The 152 mm depth is the dimension that decides whether this S3-frame contactor fits your existing enclosure depth. On a 200 mm deep panel you have 48 mm behind the rail for wiring and arc chute clearance — tight but workable with the 10 mm upwards and 20 mm forward spacing requirements. Mounting is screw-and-snap-on onto 35 mm DIN rail per DIN EN 60715. The mounting position allows +/-180° rotation on a vertical surface and +/-22.5° tilt forward/backward — useful when the panel layout forces an odd angle.
Wire sizing and switching frequency limits
Solid wire range 2.5–16 mm² and stranded 6–70 mm² cover most motor feeder sizes from 4 mm² up to 50 mm². The screw-type coil terminals accept 2x (0.5–1.5 mm²) or 2x (0.75–2.5 mm²) — standard for control wiring. Switching frequency limits per duty class: AC-1 (resistive) 900 ops/h, AC-3 (motor start/run) 850 ops/h, AC-4 (jogging/inching) 250 ops/h. The AC-4 figure is the one that governs high-cycle reversing or plugging applications — if your line cycles more than 250 times per hour under AC-4, this contactor will overheat.
Auxiliary contact ratings — what they switch
The auxiliary switch is rated for 10 A at 24 V, 6 A at 230 V, and 3 A at 400 V. These are the control-circuit switching capacities — not the main pole ratings. If you're feeding a PLC input at 24 V, 10 A gives plenty of headroom for multiple loads. Arcing time is 10–20 ms, and the mechanical switching time at AC is 10–21 ms. That puts the total break time under 40 ms — fast enough for most safety circuits but verify coordination with your upstream breaker's trip curve.
Lifecycle and sourcing — active production
Lifecycle stage is listed as 'current' — Siemens still manufactures this part. For MRO spares, this is the direct drop-in for any panel built around the SIRIUS S3 frame. Operating temperature range -25 to +60 °C, storage -55 to +80 °C. The 10 mm side clearance and 10 mm downward clearance are the minimum air gaps for heat dissipation — don't crowd it against the panel wall.