The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1116-6EF36-0AF0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for a continuous current Iu of 160 A, built for line protection duty. It carries a TM240 thermal-magnetic release — the fixed thermal element and magnetic trip are matched to the 160 A frame, so there's no field-adjustable pickup to mis-set. That's one less thing to verify during commissioning. Breaking capacity is the headline number that decides whether this breaker holds coordination downstream. At 240 V it interrupts 220 kA; at 415 V that drops to 154 kA; at 440 V it's 75.6 kA; and at 690 V it holds 17 kA. For a 160 A frame those are high-interrupting ratings — it's sized for a main or large feeder where fault current is substantial, not a branch that sees a few kiloamps.
What the ratings mean for fit
The 160 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C — no derating in a warm panel up to that point. At 55 °C it's 153.6 A, at 60 °C it's 150.4 A, and at 70 °C it's 144 A. If your enclosure sits near a heat source or in a non-conditioned space, that thermal curve tells you exactly where you land without guessing. The auxiliary contact configuration is 1 auxiliary switch plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ type). That gives you one set of contacts for status feedback (open/closed) and a separate set that only changes state on a trip event — useful for remote alarm annunciation without wiring through the main breaker position. Mechanical endurance is 15,000 operations.
Panel fit and environment
Dimensions are 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, 70 mm depth. Storage temperature range is -40 °C to 80 °C, operating range is -25 °C to 70 °C. If this breaker sits in a cold warehouse before installation, the storage spec covers it. The operating minimum of -25 °C is fine for most indoor industrial environments; outdoor unheated cabinets in northern climates might push that limit.