What this 160 A MCCB is and where it fits
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1116-3EF32-0JH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current (Iu) and built for line protection duty — meaning it sits at the feeder or main distribution point in a panel, not downstream on a motor branch. It carries a TM240 thermal-magnetic release, so the thermal element handles overloads and the magnetic element handles short-circuits up to the breaker's interrupting capacity. Breaking capacity runs from 75.6 kA at 240 V down to 10.5 kA at 690 V, which covers most industrial low-voltage distribution scenarios. The front face is rated IP40, so it's fine inside a closed panel but not for washdown areas.
Ratings that matter for your BOM line
The 160 A rating holds flat from 40 °C up to 50 °C, then derates to 153.6 A at 55 °C, 150.4 A at 60 °C, 147.2 A at 65 °C, and 144 A at 70 °C. That's a shallow derate curve — you lose only 10 % at the top of the operating range, so it's a solid pick for a warm enclosure. The interrupting ratings are: 75.6 kA at 240 V, 52.5 kA at 415 V, 32 kA at 440 V, and 10.5 kA at 690 V. Those numbers govern fault-clearing capability at the available fault current on your secondary side. The integrated auxiliary release is a shunt trip (STL) — order code 3VA9688-0BL32 if you need the matching accessory. That shunt trip lets you remotely trip the breaker from an E-stop or safety relay without running the main load through a contactor.
Panel fit and wiring notes
Footprint is 70 mm deep, 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall — a 3-pole MCCB that fits a standard panel-mount cutout. The auxiliary contact block is factory-fitted with 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ configuration), so you get status feedback and a separate alarm contact without adding a side-mount module. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. The shunt trip release is built in, not a field-installed kit, which saves panel-build labor. No undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, no communication function — this is a straightforward line-protection breaker with remote trip capability.