What this MCCB is and where it fits
The Siemens 3VA1096-4ED36-0AA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) in the line protection version, rated 16 A continuous at 40 °C across all three poles. It carries a TM210 thermal-magnetic release — fixed, non-adjustable — so the trip curve is set at the factory and won't drift with field tweaks. That's one less variable on a BOM line. Breaking capacity is the headline number here: 121 kA at 240 V AC, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and it still holds 11.9 kA at 500 V and 690 V. Those figures mean this breaker clears high-fault scenarios on the secondary side of a distribution transformer without cascading upstream — useful for a main or branch feeder in a 480 V panel where the available fault current is north of 50 kA. It's a 3-pole unit, no undervoltage release, no shunt trip, no communication module — bare bones for a straightforward overcurrent protection job. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, operating voltage up to 690 V AC. The front carries IP40 protection, meaning it's sealed against tools and small solids but not water; mount it inside a panel, not on a washdown line.
Thermal derating and panel integration
Rated current holds at 16 A from 40 °C through 55 °C, then steps down to 15 A at 60 °C, 65 °C, and 70 °C. That's a clean derating curve — no surprise drop at 50 °C. If your panel ambient sits at 60 °C, you lose 1 A per pole; plan the load accordingly. Footprint is 76.2 mm wide (3 in), 130 mm tall, 70 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB width that drops into a SENTRON distribution board or a DIN-rail adapter without re-drilling the gland plate. Power loss at full load is 10.6 W per pole; three poles together dump about 32 W into the enclosure, so check your thermal budget if the panel is densely packed. Storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C; operating range -25 °C to 70 °C. That storage low end matters if the breaker sits in an unheated warehouse before commissioning — no cold-start issues.