What it is and what the key ratings mean
The Siemens 3VA1116-3EF36-0CH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. It carries a continuous current rating of 160 A at 40 °C, derating to 150 A at 70 °C — the thermal curve governs the real-world ampacity in a warm enclosure, so size it against the ambient inside the panel, not the 40 °C number. The 75.6 kA interrupting capacity at 240 V AC means it can safely clear a fault up to that level without upstream devices needing to coordinate; at 415 V that drops to 52.5 kA, and at 690 V to 11.9 kA, so verify the available fault current at your system voltage.
Integration and deployment context
This is a 3-pole MCCB with a 70 mm depth and 76.2 mm width — it fits standard Siemens 3VA1 panel footprints and mounts via the rear screw terminals. The built-in undervoltage release (UVR) drops the breaker if control voltage is lost, which is common in emergency-stop or safety-disconnect chains where loss of a 24 VDC control supply must trip the main breaker. Two auxiliary switches plus a trip-alarm switch are factory-fitted, so you get status feedback (open/closed/tripped) without adding external contact blocks.