160 A MCCB with 187 kA breaking capacity at 240 V
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1116-5EE32-0JA0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying a rated continuous current Iu of 160 A and a rated insulation voltage Ui of 800 V. Its interrupting capacity hits 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at 690 V — the 187 kA figure at 240 V means it can safely clear a fault up to that level without upstream devices needing to trip, which is critical for high-fault panels near large transformers or utility feeds. The overcurrent release is a TM220 thermal-magnetic design, so it provides both overload (thermal) and short-circuit (magnetic) protection in one unit.
Thermal derating and ambient limits
The breaker holds its full 160 A rating from 40 °C up to 50 °C. Above that, it derates: 153.6 A at 55 °C, 150.4 A at 60 °C, 147.2 A at 65 °C, and 144 A at 70 °C. The operating ambient range runs from -25 °C to 70 °C, with storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. That derating curve matters for panel builders stuffing breakers into a warm enclosure — if your cabinet ambient sits at 60 °C, plan for 150.4 A continuous, not 160 A.
Shunt trip and auxiliary trip options
This version includes a shunt trip (STL) design of the auxiliary release, meaning it has a voltage trigger that lets you remotely trip the breaker by applying a control voltage — useful for emergency-stop circuits or remote shutdown. The integrated auxiliary trip uses order code 3VA9688-0BL32. There is no undervoltage release, no auxiliary contact version, no ground fault monitoring, no phase failure detection, and no communication function. The trip indicator is also absent, so you won't get a local mechanical flag showing a trip event; you'd need the panel indication or a separate auxiliary contact for that.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 70 mm depth, 76.2 mm width, and 130 mm height. The front face carries an IP40 protection class, so it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm but not against water ingress — mount it inside a panel with a door, not in a washdown zone. The reference code per DIN EN 81346-2 is Q, which is standard for switching devices. Latching endurance is rated at 15,000 cycles.