What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1116-4EF32-0DC0 is a 3-pole IEC frame 160 circuit breaker from the 3VA1 series, rated In=160A with a TM240 thermal-magnetic trip unit. The breaking capacity class S delivers Icu=36kA at 415V AC, which means it can safely interrupt fault currents up to that level without upstream cascading — critical for selective coordination in a distribution panel.
Protection and release settings
Overload protection Ir is adjustable from 112A to 160A via the TM240 dial; short-circuit protection Ii is fixed at 5 to 10 times In (800A to 1600A). That range covers motor-starting inrush and feeder protection without nuisance tripping, but watch the Ii floor if your load has a high magnetizing peak — the 5x minimum may be too low for some transformer or large motor circuits. The integrated undervoltage release (UVR) operates on 208-230V AC 50/60Hz and drops the breaker if control voltage falls below the dropout threshold — standard for emergency-stop circuits or mains-loss protection on machine tools.
Accessories included
Comes with a nut keeper kit and two HQ auxiliary switches for remote status indication (open/closed/tripped). The auxiliary switches share the same terminal compartment as the UVR coil — verify polarity and free-wheel diode on the UVR if you're driving it from a PLC output, as the coil is inductive.
Lifecycle and sourcing
The lifecycle stage is listed as current — meaning Siemens still produces this order code as a standard catalog item. No EOL or LTB notice applies. Sourced and quoted to order through independent distribution; availability and current pricing confirmed at quote time against an RFQ.