SENTRON 3VA1132-5EF32-0AE0 — 32 A MCCB, 3-Pole, TM240 Release
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1132-5EF32-0AE0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 32 A continuous at 40 °C, with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. It's designed for line protection — meaning it sits at the feeder or distribution point, not at a specific motor or load. The TM240 release gives you a fixed thermal trip curve and magnetic short-circuit response, no interchangeable trip units to swap out. Breaking capacity is the headline here: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at both 500 V and 690 V. Those numbers tell you this breaker handles high-fault-current panels — think transformer secondaries, main distribution boards, or industrial switchgear where the available fault current is well above what a standard 25 kA or 36 kA MCCB can interrupt. At 690 V, the 17 kA rating still covers most industrial networks in that voltage class. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so the breaker's internal clearances and creepage are sized for 690 V systems with margin. Power loss runs 10.6 W max at rated current — negligible for panel thermal budgeting, but worth noting if you're packing multiple breakers in a sealed enclosure.
Thermal Derating and Panel Fit
The 32 A rating holds flat from 40 °C up to 50 °C. Above that, it derates: 31 A at 55 °C, 31 A at 60 °C, 30 A at 65 °C, and 30 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs 55 °C or higher, you need to account for that 1–2 A drop — not a problem for most continuous loads, but tight if you're right at the 32 A mark. Operating range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. Dimensions: 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, 70 mm depth. That's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — fits most Siemens SENTRON panelboards and distribution blocks without adapters. The 70 mm depth is shallow enough for 200 mm deep enclosures, leaving wiring room behind the breaker.
Auxiliary Switching and Lifecycle
This breaker ships with 4 auxiliary switches, HQ type — that's two form-C (changeover) contacts for status feedback to a PLC or SCADA. No undervoltage release, no shunt trip, no ground-fault monitoring on this variant. If you need those, you're looking at a different suffix in the 3VA1 family. Communication function is absent here — it's a standalone thermal-magnetic breaker, not a metering or communicating device.