SIRIUS S3 power contactor — what the ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens 3RT2046-1AR64 is a SIRIUS S3 power contactor with screw-type main contact terminals and an integrated auxiliary switch block. It mounts on 35 mm DIN rail per DIN EN 60715, using either the snap-on latch or screws for vibration-prone environments. The S3 frame size (70 mm wide, 140 mm high, 195 mm deep) fits standard panel layouts. The contactor can be rotated ±180° on a vertical surface and tilted ±22.5° forward or backward, giving flexibility in tight enclosures. Rated switching rates tell you the mechanical duty it can sustain: 900 cycles/hour for AC-1 resistive loads, 850 cycles/hour for AC-3 motor starting, and 250 cycles/hour for AC-4 plugging or inching. The AC-3e rating matches the AC-3 figure at 850 1/h. These are the limits for continuous cycling — exceeding them shortens contact life. The auxiliary contact block carries 6 A at 24 V, 2 A at 48 V or 60 V, 1 A at 110 V, 0.9 A at 125 V, 0.3 A at 220 V, and 3 A at 400 V. These are the rated values for the auxiliary circuit — use them to confirm compatibility with your PLC input or relay coil draw.
Wire termination and clearance
Main contact terminals accept solid conductors from 2.5 to 16 mm² and stranded conductors from 6 to 70 mm². Auxiliary terminals accept two conductors per clamp: 0.5–1.5 mm² or 0.75–2.5 mm² solid or stranded. These ranges cover most motor and control wiring in industrial panels. Minimum clearances to adjacent components: 10 mm upwards, 10 mm downwards, 10 mm to the side, and 20 mm forwards. The arcing time is 10–20 ms, and the switching time (at AC) is 10–21 ms — these are the intervals the contactor needs to make or break the circuit cleanly.