The Siemens 3VA1140-4EF36-0CC0 is a SENTRON 3VA molded case circuit breaker, 3-pole, line protection, with a rated continuous current Iu of 40 A. It carries a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release, meaning the thermal trip element is fixed for a 40 A frame and the magnetic instantaneous pickup is set at 240 A — that's 6x In, a standard motor-starting tolerance for general distribution.
Breaking capacity — what it means for your bus
Breaking capacity is 121 kA at 240 V, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at 690 V. These are the maximum fault currents this MCCB can safely interrupt at each voltage level. For a 415 V distribution board, the 75.6 kA figure covers most industrial transformer banks up to around 2 MVA; at 690 V the 11.9 kA rating still handles a substantial fault, but verify it against your transformer impedance and cable length. The IEC 60947-2 rating class is what governs here — this is a utilization category breaker, not a plain isolator.
Thermal derating — the real continuous current
Rated 40 A continuously at 40 °C, 45 °C, and 50 °C — no derating needed in standard panel ambient. Above that the curve steps down: 38.4 A at 55 °C, 37.6 A at 60 °C, 36.8 A at 65 °C, 36 A at 70 °C. If your panel internal temp hits 60 °C, you lose 2.4 A — plan for it. The operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C.
Auxiliaries and releases — what's on board
Comes with 2 auxiliary switches (HQ type) and an undervoltage release (UVR) fitted. The UVR is the standard design — if the control voltage drops below the dropout threshold, the breaker trips. No voltage trigger, no phase failure detection, no ground fault monitoring, and no communication function on this variant. The integrated auxiliary trip is order code 3VA9608-0BB24. That's a factory-fitted accessory, not field-installable, so confirm your BOM matches this build.
Panel fit — dimensions and IP
Width 76.2 mm (3-pole footprint), height 130 mm, depth 70 mm. That depth is the body only — add clearance for the arc chute vents and cable bending radius. Front IP40 protection; the terminals are live when the cover is open, so the breaker belongs behind a panel door or in a locked enclosure. The reference code per DIN EN 81346-2 is Q — circuit breaker function.