What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1116-4EF32-0AE0 is a SENTRON 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. The TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release gives it a rated current of 160 A at 40 °C, with the same rating holding through 50 °C before a slight derate curve begins at 55 °C. Breaking capacity is the headline spec here: 121 kA at 240 V AC, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at 500 V and 690 V. That 121 kA at 240 V means it can safely interrupt a fault current over 120,000 A without rupturing — critical for high-fault utility feeds or transformer secondaries where available short-circuit current is high. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so the breaker is suitable for 690 V line-to-line systems with margin. Maximum power loss is 38 W — useful to know for thermal management inside a sealed enclosure.
Where it fits
The 3VA1116-4EF32-0AE0 mounts on a DIN rail or can be screw-fixed to a backplate. Dimensions are 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, and 70 mm depth — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that fits most Siemens SENTRON distribution panels and retrofit slots. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. The auxiliary switch block accommodates up to four HQ auxiliary switches, and the breaker ships without ground-fault monitoring. No undervoltage release or communication module is fitted on this variant — it's a straight thermal-magnetic line-protection device.