What this contactor is and where it fits
The Siemens 3RT6018-1AR61 is a SIRIUS power contactor in size S00 — the smallest frame in the SIRIUS family, built for switching motor loads up to 22 kW at 690 V. It carries a 24 VDC coil rated for 6 A holding current, and its screw-type terminals accept 2x (0.5 to 2.5 mm²) solid or stranded wire. The 45 mm width and 73 mm depth let it snap onto a 35 mm DIN rail per DIN EN 50022, with side-by-side mounting permitted for dense panel layouts.
What the ratings mean for a panel build
The AC-3 motor-switching ratings at 60 °C ambient — 7.5 kW at 230 V, 13 kW at 400 V, 22 kW at 690 V — define the real-world motor sizes this contactor can handle continuously without derating. The 10 000 1/h mechanical endurance (30 million typical) means it outlasts most machines in cyclic duty. Pollution degree 3 suits it for industrial enclosures where conductive dust or condensation is present. The 690 V rated insulation voltage covers 480 V and 575 V systems with headroom.
DIN rail mounting and panel fill
Mounts via screw or snap-on onto 35 mm DIN rail (DIN EN 50022). 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. Side-by-side mounting is permitted, so you can gang multiple S00 contactors without gaps, saving rail space. The 45 mm width per unit means 17 units fit a standard 800 mm wide enclosure backplate.
Wire termination and torque specs
Screw terminals accept 2x (0.5 to 1.5 mm²), 2x (0.75 to 2.5 mm²), or 2x 4 mm² solid or stranded conductors. At 40 °C ambient, minimum permissible cross-section is 4 mm²; at 60 °C, it rises to 2.5 mm² — the higher temperature derates the wire ampacity, so you upsize the conductor to keep the connection cool.