MCCB for Line Protection — 50 A Continuous, 75.6 kA at 240 V
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1150-3EF32-0HC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying a continuous current Iu of 50 A and an interrupting capacity of 75.6 kA at 240 V. That interrupting rating drops to 52.5 kA at 415 V and 32 kA at 440 V, so the voltage you're clearing against matters — at 690 V it's still rated for 10.5 kA, which covers most industrial motor branch circuits on that voltage class. The TM240 thermal-magnetic release handles the overload and short-circuit curve; no electronic trip unit here, so coordination studies stay simple. Thermal derating is flat from 40 °C to 50 °C at 50 A, then drops to 48 A at 55 °C and 45 A at 70 °C. If the panel ambient runs hot, you lose 5 A by the top end — factor that into your load schedule. The shunt trip (STL) is built in, and it ships with 2 auxiliary switches (HQ version) for status feedback to the PLC or annunciator panel.
Panel Fit and Integration
The 3VA1150-3EF32-0HC0 measures 70 mm deep by 76.2 mm wide by 130 mm high. That width is a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — it drops into a SENTRON panelboard or a DIN-rail adapter without surprises. Front protection is IP40, which is typical for a panel-mounted breaker; no washdown rating, so keep it behind the gland plate. The auxiliary release order code for the integrated shunt trip is 3VA9688-0BL30 if you need a spare or replacement module. Latching endurance is rated at 15,000 operations — that's the mechanical life for the switching mechanism. No undervoltage release, no phase failure detection, no communication module on this variant; it's a straight line-protection MCCB with a shunt trip for remote tripping. The reference code per DIN EN 81346-2 is Q, which maps to switching device in the standard functional taxonomy.