Rated current and breaking capacity — what the numbers mean for your panel
The Siemens 3VA1116-3ED36-0DF0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current at 40 °C, holding that full rating through 50 °C before a gentle derating curve begins — 155.2 A at 55 °C, 152 A at 60 °C, 147.2 A at 65 °C, and 140.8 A at 70 °C. That means in a warm enclosure you lose less than 12 % of capacity even at the upper operating limit, so the breaker stays selective with downstream devices across most panel ambient conditions. Breaking capacity varies sharply with system voltage: 75.6 kA at 240 V, 52.5 kA at 415 V, 32 kA at 440 V, 13.6 kA at 500 V, and 7.5 kA at 690 V. The 415 V figure is the one that matters for most European 400 V distribution — 52.5 kA gives comfortable headroom above typical 25–36 kA fault levels at the main switchboard. The TM210 thermal-magnetic release is a fixed-trip design — no interchangeable rating modules, so the 160 A frame is the breaker's identity. It carries a rated insulation voltage Ui of 800 V, which covers 690 V systems with margin.
Panel fit and auxiliary configuration
The breaker measures 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall, and 70 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that fits SENTRON panel-mounting plates and busbar systems without adaptors. IP40 on the front means it is protected against solid objects over 1 mm; suitable for enclosed distribution boards where no washdown is required. It ships with one auxiliary switch and one trip alarm switch (HQ designation), plus an integrated undervoltage release (UVR) as the auxiliary release. The UVR coil drops the breaker on loss of control voltage — standard for emergency-stop or undervoltage protection schemes. The auxiliary trip accessory order code is 3VA9608-0BB25 if a spare is needed. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. The mechanical endurance is rated at 15 000 operations — typical for a fixed-mounted MCCB in a distribution panel, not a switching-duty contactor.