What the interrupting ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1110-5EF36-0HA0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying 100 A continuous current (Iu) at ambient temperatures up to 50 °C without derating. Above that the thermal curve pulls back: 96 A at 55 °C, 94 A at 60 °C, 92 A at 65 °C, and 90 A at 70 °C — so if this breaker lives in a hot enclosure, size the load for the 70 °C figure, not the nameplate 100 A. The interrupting capacity is where this part earns its keep: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at 690 V. Those numbers mean it can safely clear a fault up to those levels without welding contacts or rupturing the case — critical for high-fault panels near large transformers or motor banks. The 187 kA at 240 V is the headline figure; for a 480 V distribution panel the 75.6 kA at 440 V is the relevant bound, and it still covers most industrial service-entrance duty.
Physical fit and panel integration
The breaker measures 70 mm deep, 76.2 mm wide, and 130 mm high. The 76.2 mm width is a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — it occupies three 25.4 mm (1-inch) module positions on a DIN rail or panel-mount base. Depth of 70 mm means it clears most 200 mm-deep enclosures with room for wiring gutters. Front protection is IP40, so it's splash-safe from the front but not sealed against hose-down; keep it inside a rated enclosure for wet environments.
Overcurrent release and auxiliary trip
The overcurrent release is a TM240 — a thermal-magnetic unit with a 240 A frame rating, set here for a 100 A continuous load. The auxiliary release is a shunt trip (STL), order code 3VA9688-0BL30, which lets you remotely trip the breaker via a control signal. No undervoltage release, no auxiliary contacts, no communication module, and no ground-fault monitoring are fitted on this variant — those are add-on options if the application needs them.