What this MCCB carries — and what it doesn't
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1020-3ED36-0HC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 20 A continuous current (Iu) with a TM210 thermal-magnetic release. The interrupting ratings climb to 75.6 kA at 240 V, 52.5 kA at 415 V, and 32 kA at 440 V — enough for most distribution panels feeding motor control centers or lighting subpanels. At 690 V it still clears 7.5 kA, so it handles mixed-voltage lineups without a separate current-limiting fuse upstream. This is a line-protection breaker — no ground-fault monitoring, no undervoltage release, no communication module, and no phase-failure detection. The only auxiliary is the shunt trip (STL) with two HQ auxiliary switches (3VA9688-0BL30). If your BOM calls for undervoltage or ground-fault, this isn't the variant.
Thermal derating — the number that matters
The 20 A rating holds flat from 40 °C to 50 °C. Above that it starts to taper: 19.2 A at 55 °C, 18.8 A at 60 °C, 18.4 A at 65 °C, and 18 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs at 65 °C, you're losing 8 % of the nominal current — factor that into the load calculation, not the nameplate. Compared to the sibling 3VA1020-3ED36-0AA0 (same frame, same TM210 release), the -0HC0 adds the shunt trip and two HQ auxiliaries from the factory. The -0AA0 ships without them, so if your panel already has external shunt-trip wiring, the -0HC0 saves a field-install kit and one wiring step.
Panel fit and mounting
The 3VA1020-3ED36-0HC0 measures 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall, and 70 mm deep. That's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — it drops into the same DIN-rail or screw-mount slot as any 3VA frame breaker. Front IP40 keeps dust out of the terminals; no washdown rating, so keep it inside the enclosure.