MCCB for line protection — 32 A, 4-pole, 76 kA at 240 V
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1032-3ED46-0AA0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 32 A continuous current, with a TM210 thermal-magnetic release designed for line protection. Its interrupting capacity hits 76 kA at 240 V and 53 kA at 415 V — that's the fault-clearing headroom you need for high-available-fault-current panels, not a residential load center. The 4-pole construction means it switches all three phases plus neutral, common for 3-phase 4-wire distribution in industrial switchboards. Rated continuous current holds at 32 A from 40 °C through 50 °C ambient, then gently derates to 30 A at 70 °C. That thermal curve matters if the breaker sits in a warm enclosure near other heat sources — you don't lose headroom until the panel is genuinely hot. The TM210 release gives a fixed thermal trip and adjustable magnetic pickup, standard for feeder protection where you want coordination downstream. Mechanical endurance is rated at 15,000 operations — that's well into the industrial duty cycle for a molded case breaker used as a disconnect under load. No communication module on this variant; it's a straight electromechanical MCCB, no electronic trip unit or fieldbus interface.
Panel fit and environmental range
Footprint: 101.6 mm wide, 130 mm tall, 70 mm deep. That width is a standard 4-pole MCCB slot on most DIN-rail or panel-mount backplates — no surprise for a panel builder swapping in a SENTRON. The front face carries an IP40 rating, meaning protection against tools and wires >1 mm, but not washdown; keep it inside a sealed enclosure if the environment is wet or dusty. Operating temperature spans -40 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. That covers unheated warehouses and outdoor cabinets in temperate climates. Maximum power loss is 10.6 W — negligible for thermal budgeting in a populated panel, but worth noting if you're packing breakers tightly.