MCCB for line protection — 32 A, 187 kA at 240 V
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1132-5EF32-0HH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated 32 A at 40 °C, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its 187 kA breaking capacity at 240 V means it can safely interrupt very high fault currents without upstream fuses — a key spec for high-available-fault-current installations like industrial switchboards or transformer secondaries. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the breaker carries a shunt trip release (STL) plus two auxiliary switches and one trip alarm switch (HQ). The shunt trip allows remote tripping from a PLC safety output or emergency-stop circuit, while the auxiliary contacts feed status back to the control system.
Breaking capacity across voltages
Breaking capacity drops with system voltage: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at 500 V and 690 V. At 415 V — common in European industrial networks — the 121 kA figure still covers most transformer-fed busbars. The 17 kA at 690 V is adequate for 690 V drives or mining distribution, but verify against your point-of-installation fault level.
Thermal derating and ambient limits
The breaker holds 32 A continuously from 40 °C through 50 °C, then derates to 31 A at 55–60 °C and 30 A at 65–70 °C. Operating ambient range is -25 °C to +70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to +80 °C. The 10.6 W maximum power loss matters for enclosure thermal calculations — if you pack multiple breakers in a sealed panel, factor that heat into the ventilation or cooling budget.
Physical footprint and panel fit
Dimensions: 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, 70 mm depth.