What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1132-6ED36-0AA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) with three poles, rated 32 A continuous at 40 °C and fitted with a TM210 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. It's designed for line protection — the primary feeder or distribution circuit in a panel, not a motor-protective function. The TM210 release means the thermal element is fixed at 32 A (no adjustable thermal dial), and the magnetic short-circuit pickup is set at 10× In (320 A). That's a standard fixed-trip curve for general distribution; you don't get the flexibility of an electronic trip, but you also don't need a separate power supply for the trip unit. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the maximum operating voltage is 690 V AC or 500 V DC. The interrupting ratings are the headline: 220 kA at 240 V AC, 154 kA at 415 V AC, 121 kA at 440 V AC, and 17 kA at 500 V and 690 V AC. That 220 kA at 240 V is a high-fault-current rating — it's sized for large transformer secondaries or high-capacity busway feeds where the available fault current is well above what a standard 65 kA or 100 kA breaker can handle. At 690 V the 17 kA rating is still respectable for a 32 A frame, but if your system runs at 480 V or 600 V class, the 121 kA at 440 V gives you a good reference point for coordination studies.
Thermal derating and panel fit
The 32 A rating holds flat from 40 °C to 50 °C, then derates to 31 A at 55 °C and 60 °C, and 30 A at 65 °C and 70 °C. That's a shallow derating curve — only 2 A lost over a 30 °C rise — which means the breaker runs cool and you don't have to oversize the frame for a warm enclosure. The power loss is 10.6 W maximum, so heat dissipation inside the panel is manageable even with several breakers ganged together. Physical dimensions: 76.2 mm wide (3 in), 130 mm tall (5.12 in), 70 mm deep (2.76 in). That's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for the SENTRON 3VA1 frame — it fits the same mounting hole pattern and busbar spacing as other 3VA1 breakers in the 32 A class. The front face carries an IP40 protection rating, so it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm but not sealed against dust ingress; it's intended for a closed panel, not a washdown environment.