What this 3VA MCCB does on the line
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1116-6ED36-0AA0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous at 40 °C, with a TM210 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release that handles the long-time and short-time protection curve for feeder and distribution circuits. The 220 kA breaking capacity at 240 V gives serious SCCR headroom for high-fault panels — think main breaker in a large distribution board feeding motor control centers or downstream subpanels. At 415 V the interrupting rating holds at 154 kA, and it still clears 17 kA at 690 V, so this breaker is built for industrial service where fault current isn't a hypothetical. The TM210 release is a fixed thermal-magnetic design — no interchangeable trip units, no electronic adjustments. That means the protection curve is set at the factory for a 160 A frame; if your load profile needs a different long-time pickup or short-time delay, this isn't the variant. The IP40 front protection keeps dust out of the mechanism in a clean panel environment — not rated for washdown, so keep it inside the enclosure.
Thermal derating and real-world current
The 160 A rating holds flat from 40 °C to 50 °C — no derating needed in a normally ventilated panel. Above that, it steps down: 158 A at 55 °C, 155 A at 60 °C, 153 A at 65 °C, and 150 A at 70 °C. If the breaker sits near a heat source (a transformer, a drive, or a poorly spaced row of contactors), the 70 °C ambient figure of 150 A is the one to size against. The operating range spans -25 °C to 70 °C, with storage from -40 °C to 80 °C.
Panel fit and mounting
The 3VA1116-6ED36-0AA0 measures 70 mm deep by 76.2 mm wide by 130 mm high. The 76.2 mm width (3 inches) is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for a 160 A frame — it occupies three 25 mm DIN positions if base-mounted, or the same pitch on a mounting plate. The 130 mm height leaves room above for busbar connections or a shunt trip accessory (this variant has no undervoltage release or communication module). Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the power loss at full load is 38 W — account for that heat in the panel thermal calculation.