99 A at 40 °C — the rating that governs the motor start
The 3RW4425-3BC46: The integrated bypass contact system means the thyristors are shorted out once the motor reaches full speed, eliminating SCR heat dissipation during continuous run — a key differentiator from open-loop soft starters that stay in conduction.
Mounting and clearance — panel fit constraints
Dimensions are 192 mm high by 170 mm wide by 270 mm deep, fastened via screw fixing. The mounting position allows vertical surface mounting with ±90° rotation and ±22.5° tilt front-to-back — useful when the panel layout forces an off-axis orientation. Clearance requirements: 100 mm above, 75 mm below, and only 5 mm at the sides — the tight side gap means you can nest units close together horizontally, but the vertical airflow path needs the full 100/75 mm for natural convection cooling.
Wiring and terminal details — main vs control circuit
Main current circuit uses box terminals accepting stranded 2x (4... 50 mm²) or using both clamping points 2x (10... 1/0 AWG). The back and front clamping points each accept 10... 2/0 AWG — this gives flexibility for paralleling conductors on larger feeds. Auxiliary contacts are rated 2x (24... 16 AWG). Maximum wire length from the starter to the motor is 500 m — beyond that, voltage drop and cable capacitance can cause nuisance tripping or reduced starting torque.
Protection and control features — what the settings mean
Motor overload protection is built in, along with intrinsic device protection — the starter monitors its own thyristor temperature and will trip before the SCRs exceed their junction rating. Adjustable current limitation lets you set the starting current between 8% and 100% of the rated motor current. The minimum load is 8% of the rated current — below that, the starter may not detect the motor load correctly. External reset allows remote fault clearing without opening the panel door. Fault signals are shown on an integrated display — no need to carry a laptop for basic diagnostics. The inside-delta circuit configuration is supported, which reduces the current rating requirement for the starter when the motor windings are connected in delta.