Rated current and thermal derating — the real continuous ceiling
At 40°C ambient the 3RW4435-2BC46 is rated 232 A continuous. That drops to 203 A at 50°C and 173 A at 60°C. For a motor with a 200 A FLA at 40°C, this starter has headroom; at 50°C you're at the limit. The derating temperature is 40°C — above that, the thyristor junction temperature governs the continuous current, not the nameplate.
Inside-delta wiring — cuts the line current by 58%
This soft starter supports inside-delta circuit connection. In that configuration the thyristors sit inside the motor delta windings, so the line current is 1/√3 of the motor phase current. For a 232 A motor, the line contactor and cable only need to carry about 134 A. The main circuit connection accepts busbar or cable up to 250 kcmil, with stranded wire range 25–120 mm² and finely stranded 16–95 mm².
Motor overload and device protection — one unit, no separate relay
Motor overload protection is integrated — the starter's thermal model tracks I²t and trips on overload without an external relay. Intrinsic device protection guards the thyristors against overtemperature and phase loss. The adjustable current limitation lets you set the start current from 8% up to the rated value, matching the load inertia. Minimum load is 8% of rated current — below that the motor may not accelerate reliably.
Mounting and panel fit — 170 x 200 x 270 mm, screw-fixed
Fastening is screw fixing on a vertical mounting surface. The unit can be rotated ±90° and tilted ±22.5° front-to-back. Clearances: 100 mm above, 75 mm below, 5 mm at the sides. Dimensions are 170 mm wide, 200 mm high, 270 mm deep. That's a substantial footprint — plan the enclosure depth for cable bending radius on the 120 mm² terminals.
Environmental and compliance — pollution degree 3, 60°C operation
Pollution degree 3 per IEC 60947-4-2 means the starter is rated for conductive dust and condensation typical of industrial panels. Operating temperature range is up to 60°C; storage range is -25 to +80°C. Insulation voltage rated 690 V. The display shows fault signals and an external reset input is provided.