Siemens 3RT7046-1AV00 — Size S3 Contactor, 3-Pole, Screw Terminals
The Siemens 3RT7046-1AV00 is a Size S3 contactor from the SIRIUS family, with three normally open main contacts and three poles for the main current circuit. It is rated for AC-3 duty up to 690 V maximum, and uses screw-type terminals for both the main and auxiliary/control circuits. The front face carries an IP20 rating, while the terminals themselves are IP00 — a distinction that matters during panel wiring: the terminal area is considered live and requires a finger-safe cover if the panel door is open. The contactor is designed for screw and snap-on mounting onto 35 mm and 75 mm standard mounting rails, and side-by-side mounting is permitted, which helps when packing multiple contactors into a tight enclosure.
What the Key Ratings Mean for Fit
The AC-3 rated voltage maximum of 690 V means this contactor can switch three-phase induction motors up to that line voltage under normal starting conditions — where the motor draws 6–8× rated current during start but the contactor must handle the break. The AC-3e maximum switching frequency of 800 operations per hour sets a thermal limit on how often you can cycle it under motor load; exceed that and the internal heat buildup will shorten contact life. For the more severe AC-4 duty (plugging, inching, reversing), the maximum drops to 250 operations per hour. The insulation voltage is also rated at 690 V, and surge voltage resistance is 6 kV — that 6 kV figure is the impulse withstand level for overvoltage category III, so it can handle typical switching transients on a 400 V industrial network without flashover. Pollution degree 3 means it is rated for the conductive-dust and humidity conditions common in control panels that are not climate-controlled.
Mounting and Integration
The contactor measures 70 mm wide, 148 mm high, and 139 mm deep. It snaps onto 35 mm or 75 mm DIN rails via the integrated clip, and can also be screw-mounted. The mounting position is flexible: +/-180° rotation on a vertical surface, and can be tilted forward or backward by +/-22.5° on a vertical surface. Side-by-side mounting is allowed with no derating gap required, which simplifies panel layout. The screw terminals accept 2× (0.5…1.5 mm²) solid or stranded, or 2× (0.75…2.5 mm²) finely stranded with core end processing. For type 1 coordination, the recommended upstream fuse is a gL/gG NH 200 A — that is the fuse that will clear a bolted fault before the contactor welds shut.