What this 100 A motor-protective breaker does
The Siemens 3RV5041-4MA10 is a SIRIUS Size S3 circuit breaker designed for motor protection, rated at 100 A operational current at 400 V in AC-3 duty — that's the motor-switching curve, so it directly handles a 100 A motor load without needing an upstream fuse for short-circuit backup.
Mounting and integration into a panel
The S3 frame measures 70 mm wide by 165 mm tall by 174 mm deep — that depth matters when planning gland-plate clearance inside a 200 mm deep enclosure. Clearance requirements: 50 mm upward, 50 mm downward, 30 mm at the sides, and 167 mm forward for the operator handle to swing. No backward clearance needed. Screw-type box terminals accept 2×(2.5…16 mm²) solid/stranded or up to 1×(10…70 mm²) — torque to 4…6 N·m. The top-and-bottom main current circuit arrangement keeps wiring runs straight.
Operating temperature range -20…+60 °C, transport -50…+80 °C. Relative humidity 10…95 % during operation. Installation altitude up to 2,000 m above sea level without derating. Shock resistance 25 g / 11 ms per IEC 60068-2-27. The part carries RoHS compliance with a substance prohibition date of 07/01/2006.
Switching frequency and coordination
Maximum operating frequency in AC-3 duty is 15 operations per hour — adequate for motor starting duty on pumps, fans, or compressors, but not for high-cycling applications like rapid reversing. The magnetic short-circuit trip provides instantaneous fault clearance, and the thermal overload release follows the Class 10 curve. Surge voltage resistance rated at 6 kV, giving coordination margin for IEC 60947-2 installations.