The Siemens 3RT2617-1AP05 is a SIRIUS capacitor contactor — a specialized switching device for capacitor banks in power-factor correction panels. It's built to handle the inrush current that hits when a discharged capacitor bank closes onto the line, which is a different duty cycle than a standard motor contactor. Rated for AC coil voltage, it switches 6 A at 24 V, 3 A at 400 V, and 1 A at 690 V. Those are the AC-6b (capacitor switching) ratings that matter for your BOM line — not the general-purpose AC-1 numbers. The 180 1/h maximum switching rate at 230 V through 690 V tells you this is for steady-state correction, not fast cycling. Size S00 frame, 45 mm wide, 125 mm tall, 120 mm deep. That helps in tight retrofit panels where the rail is already populated.
Terminals and wiring
Screw-type terminals on the magnet coil, and the main power terminals accept solid or stranded wire: 2x (0.5 to 1.5 mm²), 2x (0.75 to 2.5 mm²), or 2x 4 mm². At 40 °C ambient, the maximum conductor cross-section is 1x 4 mm² or 2x 2.5 mm²; at 60 °C, 2x 4 mm². No attachable auxiliary switch block on this variant — the 0 in the attachable field means it's a standalone capacitor contactor. If you need aux contacts for status feedback, you'll need a different base unit or an external interposing relay.
That storage range covers most warehouse conditions, but the operating limit means you can't mount it directly above a heat source without checking the derating.
Arcing and timing
That's typical for a capacitor contactor — the arc extinguishes quickly because the load is mostly reactive, but the inrush can be high. The operating factor at 50 Hz is 0.8 to 1.1, and at 60 Hz it's 0.85 to 1.1, meaning it's rated for continuous duty at those line frequencies.