What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1096-3ED32-0BH0 is a SENTRON 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 16 A continuous current, with a TM210 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. It's built for line protection — meaning it sits upstream of a load, not as a motor starter, and clears faults before they cascade. The 75.6 kA interrupting rating at 240 V tells you it can handle high available fault current on a 240 VAC panel bus; at 415 V that drops to 52.5 kA, and at 690 V it's 7.5 kA — still enough for most industrial service entrances but you'll want to check the point-of-fault current against the voltage you're actually running.
Ratings and what they mean for fit
The 16 A rating holds flat from 40 °C to 50 °C — no derating needed in a typical warm panel. At 55 °C it's 15.36 A, at 60 °C it's 15.04 A, at 65 °C it's 14.72 A, and at 70 °C it's 14.4 A. If your panel ambient runs hot, that derating curve is the number that decides whether this breaker holds a 15 A continuous load or trips on nuisance. The TM210 release is thermal-magnetic, so it handles overloads with a bimetal curve and short circuits with a solenoid — no electronic adjustment, no communication, no ground-fault monitoring. That keeps it simple and reliable for fixed-load distribution. It carries an undervoltage release (UVR) as standard — if control voltage drops, the breaker trips. That's useful for emergency-stop circuits or undervoltage protection on a machine. The auxiliary contact version is 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch HQ, so you get status feedback and a separate alarm signal on fault. The integrated auxiliary trip is order code 3VA9608-0BB11 — that's the specific accessory that mates with this frame. Dimensions: 70 mm deep, 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall. That's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — it'll drop into a SENTRON panel or a generic DIN-rail enclosure without surprises. IP40 on the front means it's protected against tools and small solids; it's not sealed against washdown, so keep it in a dry enclosure.
Panel integration
Mounts on a DIN rail or panel-mount base. The 76.2 mm width means it takes three 25.4 mm module spaces — standard for a 3-pole MCCB. The undervoltage release coil draws from the control circuit; verify the control voltage matches your system before wiring. The auxiliary contacts and trip alarm share a common terminal block; wire the trip alarm to a PLC input or annunciator for remote fault indication.