The Siemens 3VA1116-5EF42-0AA0-ZD00 is a 4-pole IEC frame 160 molded case circuit breaker from the 3VA1 series, rated for line protection with a TM240 thermal-magnetic trip unit. It carries a breaking capacity class M with an Icu of 55kA at 415V — that rating means it can safely interrupt fault currents up to 55,000 amps at that voltage without welding contacts or cascading failure upstream, which is what you need for high-fault panels feeding motor control centers or distribution switchboards.
Overload and short-circuit settings
The TM240 trip gives you an In of 160A, with overload protection adjustable from Ir=112A to 160A, so you dial in the continuous current to match the downstream load — a 150A feeder, for instance, lands at Ir=150A. Short-circuit protection Ii is fixed at 5 to 10 times In, meaning the magnetic pickup sits between 800A and 1600A, which clears bolted faults fast while riding through motor inrush.
Deployment context
This breaker is built for panel-mount installation in distribution boards, motor control centers, or OEM machinery. The N conductor is unprotected on this variant, so it's intended for 3-phase + N systems where the neutral is not expected to carry fault current — typical in TN or IT networks. The nut keeper kit simplifies mounting in tight enclosures where dropped hardware is a headache.