2103 A at 40 °C — what that current rating means for your motor
The 3RW4466-6BC35: This SIRIUS soft starter is rated 2103 A at 40 °C ambient. That's the continuous motor current it can handle in a standard industrial enclosure with the bypass closed — the thyristors are only in circuit during the start and stop ramp. At 50 °C the rating drops to 1864 A, and at 60 °C it's 1680 A. Operating frequency is 50/60 Hz, so it covers both line frequencies without a setting change.
Integrated bypass and inside-delta wiring — what it saves you
The integrated bypass contact system means once the motor is up to speed, the thyristors are shorted out. No external bypass contactor to buy, wire, or coordinate. That saves panel space and a couple of hours of wiring time. Inside-delta circuit capability lets you connect the soft starter in the delta legs of a six-lead motor. That drops the current through the thyristors to 58% of the line current — effectively letting a 2103 A unit handle a motor with a higher FLA than the nameplate suggests. Useful when you're pushing the limit on an existing starter frame. It also has an adjustable current limitation and a minimum load setting down to 8%, so it can start lightly loaded conveyors or pumps without the ramp overshooting.
Panel fit — 575 mm wide, 780 mm tall, 292 mm deep
The enclosure is 575 mm wide by 780 mm high by 292 mm deep. That's a substantial footprint — you're not squeezing this into a shallow wall-mount box. Plan for a floor-standing enclosure or a deep back panel. Mounting is screw fixing, not DIN rail, so you'll drill and tap the backplate. Mounting position is flexible: vertical surface, rotatable ±90°, and tiltable ±22.5° front/back. That helps when the enclosure layout forces an off-angle install — just keep the cooling airflow path clear. Clearance requirements: 100 mm above, 75 mm below, 5 mm at the sides.
Main circuit wiring — busbar or big cable
The main current circuit connection is busbar. For the cable option, the terminal accepts stranded 70–240 mm², finely stranded 50–240 mm², or AWG 2/0–500 kcmil. That's serious copper — plan your lug kit and torque wrench accordingly.
Protection and diagnostics built in
Motor overload protection and intrinsic device protection are onboard — you don't need a separate overload relay in the starter circuit. The fault signal has a display, so when it trips you get a code, not a blank stare. External reset lets you clear faults from a remote pushbutton or PLC output without opening the panel door. The thyristors handle the switching; no mechanical contacts to weld or pit during starts. Max motor cable length is 500 m — long enough for most plant-floor runs to the motor. Storage temperature range is -25 to +80 °C, operating ambient max 60 °C.