MCCB for line protection — 160 A continuous, 220 kA interrupting at 240 V
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1116-6EF32-0AD0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current at 40 °C, with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. Its interrupting capacity hits 220 kA at 240 V — that is the headline number for most distribution panels — and still holds 154 kA at 415 V and 75.6 kA at 440 V, tapering to 17 kA at 690 V. The full 160 A rating holds steady through 50 °C; above that it derates to 153.6 A at 55 °C and 144 A at 70 °C. That thermal curve matters for a panel running warm — if your enclosure ambient sits above 50 °C, you are leaving about 10 A on the table.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions: 70 mm deep, 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall. Front face carries an IP40 rating — fine for a closed panel, not for washdown. The breaker ships with 3 auxiliary switches (HQ type) built in, so you get status feedback without adding a separate block. No undervoltage release, no voltage trip, no ground-fault monitoring — this is a straight line-protection device, not a multifunction platform. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, which covers most 480/600 VAC industrial feeds with margin.
Overcurrent release and endurance
The TM240 release is thermal-magnetic, adjustable for the long-time delay (tr max 1 s). Latching endurance is rated at 15,000 operations — that is the mechanical life; expect fewer under full-load switching. Storage range spans -40 °C to 80 °C, operating range -25 °C to 70 °C. No communication function, no phase-failure detection — fit and forget for a feeder breaker.