The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1116-5EE32-0BH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated 160 A at 40 °C, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its breaking capacity hits 187 kA at 240 V AC, dropping to 121 kA at 415 V and 75.6 kA at 440 V — numbers that tell you it handles high-fault utility feeds without cascading upstream. Insulation voltage is rated 800 V, so it's comfortable in 480/277 V or 400/230 V systems with headroom.
Ratings and what they mean for fit
The 160 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C (–), then derates to 158 A at 55 °C, 155 A at 60 °C, 153 A at 65 °C, and 150 A at 70 °C (–). That means in a warm panel — say 55 °C — you still get 158 A continuous, not a forced downsizing. The 187 kA at 240 V is the short-circuit current rating (SCCR) for a 240 V delta or split-phase service; at 415 V it's still 121 kA, enough for most industrial mains. If your system runs at 500 V or 690 V, the SCCR drops to 17 kA — still adequate for many motor-control centers but worth checking against the available fault current. Power loss maxes at 40.5 W — negligible for panel cooling but a data point for energy-aware designs. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. The trip indicator gives a visual flag on the breaker face, saving time during fault isolation.
Built-in auxiliary and release options
This variant ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) and a factory-fitted auxiliary switch block: 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ). The UVR drops the breaker when control voltage falls below a threshold — standard for safety disconnects on machine feeds. The auxiliary contacts feed status back to a PLC or panel lamp without extra wiring.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions: 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, 70 mm depth. That 76.2 mm width is three 25.4 mm pole spaces — standard for a 3-pole MCCB on DIN rail or bolted to a mounting plate. Depth of 70 mm means it clears most 200 mm deep enclosures with room for rear busbars. The SENTRON 3VA family shares a consistent footprint across current ratings, so swapping a 100 A for this 160 A unit doesn't force a panel re-drill.