What this breaker is and where it fits
The Siemens 3VA1116-5EF32-0AH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker rated for line protection, carrying 160 A continuous current (Iu) with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. The 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 — so it handles high-fault panels without cascading upstream. The 3-pole frame and IP40 front protection make it a straightforward fit for a standard distribution board or motor control center.
Thermal derating — what 160 A really means at panel temperature
The 160 A rating holds from 40 °C through 50 °C. At 55 °C it derates to 153.6 A, at 60 °C to 150.4 A, at 65 °C to 147.2 A, and at 70 °C to 144 A. If your panel runs hot — say a packed enclosure next to a motor drive — you need to account for that drop when sizing the breaker for the load.
Auxiliary contacts and release options
The breaker ships with 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ configuration). No undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, no communication module — it's a straight line-protection device with basic signaling. The TM240 release is fixed, not adjustable for short-time delay.