S3 frame, three-pole, AC coil — what fits where
The Siemens 3RT7046-1AQ00 is a size S3 contactor with three normally-open main contacts for a three-pole circuit. Insulation voltage is 690 V, surge voltage resistance is 6 kV. The front face carries an IP20 rating, meaning finger-safe against accidental contact, while the terminal area is IP00 — bare terminals, so it expects enclosure protection. Pollution degree 3 (conductive pollution or dry non-conductive that becomes conductive under condensation) is the rating, which is typical for industrial environments where the contactor lives inside a panel that is not climate-controlled. Operating temperature spans -10 to +55 °C, storage from -25 to +70 °C, and installation altitude is limited to 2 000 m above sea level without derating. The mechanical shock resistance is specified at 10.6g for 5 ms and 6.2g for 10 ms — adequate for most stationary industrial applications, but worth noting if the panel is mounted on a vibrating machine base.
Mounting and wiring — DIN rail or screw, with flexibility
Mounting is via screw fixing or snap-on onto 35 mm and 75 mm standard mounting rail. The mounting position allows +/-180° rotation on a vertical surface and can be tilted forward/backward by +/-22.5° on a vertical surface — useful when the contactor must fit into a tight enclosure corner or a non-standard panel layout. Side-by-side mounting is permitted, so no mandatory spacing gaps. Dimensions are 139 mm depth, 70 mm width, 148 mm height. The 70 mm width is the standard S3 footprint — it occupies one 70 mm-wide slot on a DIN rail. Terminals are screw-type for both main and auxiliary/control circuits. Wire sizes accepted: 2x (0.5 to 1.5 mm²) or 2x (0.75 to 2.5 mm²) for solid/stranded and finely stranded with ferrule. The product extension for auxiliary switches is supported, so add-on blocks for signalling or interlocking can be clipped on.
Switching performance and coordination
Maximum operating frequency at AC-3 duty is 800 switching cycles per hour; at AC-4 (plugging/inching) it drops to 250 cycles per hour. The AC-3 rated operational voltage maximum is 690 V. For DC-13 switching at 220 V, the rated operational current is 0.3 A — this is the inductive DC load capability on the auxiliary contacts, not the main poles. With type of coordination 1, the required backup fuse is a gL/gG NH 3NA rated 200 A. This means under a short-circuit fault the contactor may not be reusable (coordination type 1 allows the contactor to be damaged but the installation is safe). If coordination type 2 (contactor remains usable) is needed, a different fuse or a circuit-breaker coordination study is required. The auxiliary contacts are rated for PLC-level signals — contact reliability at 17 V, 5 mA is confirmed, so they can switch low-energy inputs to a programmable controller without the gold-plating or twin-contact issues that plague some power contactors.
Lifecycle and sourcing reality
Sourcing is straightforward: the 3RT7046-1AQ00 is quoted to order against an RFQ through independent distribution. Availability and current pricing are confirmed at quote time. For volume purchases or blanket orders, the same RFQ process applies — no special allocation or minimum-order constraints beyond what the distributor quotes. Compliance documentation typically includes CE marking (low-voltage directive), RoHS, and REACH declarations.