MCCB for high-fault panels — 160 A continuous, 187 kA at 240 V
The Siemens 3VA1116-5EE32-0JH0 is a SENTRON 3VA-series molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current (Iu) across 40 °C to 50 °C ambient, with thermal derating starting at 55 °C (153.6 A) down to 144 A at 70 °C. Its interrupting capacity hits 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, and 75.6 kA at 440 V — numbers that put it squarely in the high-fault-current class for industrial distribution and motor control center feeder protection. This is a 3-pole line-protection version with a TM220 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release — no electronic trip, no communication module, no ground-fault monitoring. The front face carries IP40 ingress protection, acceptable for enclosed panel mounting; the breaker itself is not rated for washdown environments. The auxiliary contact configuration ships as 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ type), and the integrated shunt trip (STL) release is the optional 3VA9688-0BL32. Mechanical endurance is rated at 15,000 operations.
What the SCCR ratings mean for selectivity
The 187 kA at 240 V and 121 kA at 415 V are the maximum fault currents this MCCB can safely interrupt without welding or rupturing. In practice, that SCCR headroom lets you place this breaker downstream of a transformer or generator bus with very high prospective fault current and still achieve full selectivity with upstream fuses or a larger-frame MCCB — no need to oversize the feeder breaker for the available fault current. At 690 V the interrupting capacity drops to 17 kA, so if your panel runs 690 V three-phase, verify the available fault current at that voltage level before committing this breaker to the BOM.
Panel fit and dimensions
The 3VA1116-5EE32-0JH0 measures 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that fits most enclosed panel layouts and DIN-rail adapters for the SENTRON 3VA family. The IP40 front means it's protected against solid objects larger than 1 mm (tools, wires) but not against water ingress; mount it inside a suitable enclosure.
Temperature derating curve — plan the panel ambient
The breaker holds full 160 A rating from 40 °C up through 50 °C. Above that, the thermal-magnetic trip begins to derate: 153.6 A at 55 °C, 150.4 A at 60 °C, 147.2 A at 65 °C, and 144 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs above 50 °C, size the upstream conductor and load accordingly — or move this breaker to a cooler zone in the enclosure.