What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1132-6EF36-0BA0 is a SENTRON 3VA molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in low-voltage distribution. It carries a 32 A rating at 40 °C ambient with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release — the thermal element handles overloads, the magnetic element handles short-circuits. The 3-pole construction with 70 mm depth, 76.2 mm width, and 130 mm height fits standard MCCB panel cutouts and busbar arrangements. Breaking capacity is the headline: 220 kA at 240 V AC, 154 kA at 415 V, and still 121 kA at 440 V. That puts it in the high-interrupting class — suitable for large transformer secondaries, main feeders in industrial switchboards, or high-fault locations where standard 25–50 kA breakers would need upstream fusing. At 500 V and 690 V it holds 17 kA, which still clears most motor-circuit faults in a 480 V panel. The undervoltage release (UVR) is factory-fitted — part of the order code suffix. That means the breaker trips automatically when supply voltage drops below a set threshold, which is typical for safety disconnects on machine feeders or emergency-off circuits where you want the breaker open if control power is lost.
Thermal derating and operating range
Rated current holds at 32 A from 40 °C through 50 °C, then gently derates: 31 A at 55 °C and 60 °C, 30 A at 65 °C and 70 °C. That flat profile means the breaker doesn't lose headroom in a warm enclosure until you're past 50 °C — useful when it's mounted next to busbars or other heat sources. Operating ambient range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss is 13.1 W at rated load. That's moderate for a 32 A MCCB — enough that you should account for it in thermal calculations if the panel is densely packed, but not enough to force forced ventilation in a standard enclosure.
Integration notes
The undervoltage release is the only auxiliary release fitted. No shunt trip, no ground-fault monitoring, no voltage trigger. If your application needs a shunt trip for remote opening or ground-fault protection, this specific order code won't provide it — you'd step to a different suffix.