What this part is — and isn't
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1163-1AA36-0AC0 is a 3-pole switch disconnector in an MCCB-style housing — IEC frame 160, rated continuous current Iu of 63 A. It is not a circuit breaker; it provides no overload or short-circuit protection. Its job is safe isolation under load, specified for a panel where the upstream device handles the fault interruption and this part acts as a service disconnect. Rated for 690 V AC at 50/60 Hz and 500 V DC, with a rated insulation voltage Ui of 800 V. The 63 A continuous rating means it can carry that current indefinitely in a 40 °C ambient without exceeding the thermal limit — the 38 W maximum power loss at full load tells you the heat it dumps into the enclosure. It ships with 2 auxiliary switches (HQ type, 2 CO contacts) pre-installed — those are the signal contacts for status feedback to the PLC or panel indication. No undervoltage release, no voltage trip, no communication module. Optional motor drive can be added via the product extension slot.
Panel fit and wiring
Footprint is 70 mm deep, 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall — standard 3-pole MCCB cutout for the SENTRON 3VA1 family. Front terminals accept clamp connections for the main circuit. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to +70 °C; storage from -40 °C to +80 °C. The mechanical endurance is rated at 15 000 operating cycles — that's the latching mechanism life, not the electrical endurance under load, which will be lower depending on the switched current.
How it compares to the 3VA1110-5ED36-0AC0
The 3VA1110-5ED36-0AC0 is a molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) with thermal-magnetic overcurrent release (TM210) and a 100 A frame. The 3VA1163-1AA36-0AC0 is a switch disconnector — same housing, same footprint, but no trip unit. If your panel was designed around the 3VA1110-5ED36-0AC0, this part will drop into the same cutout and bus connection, but it will not provide the overcurrent protection that breaker does. The two share the auxiliary switch configuration (2 HQ), the IP40 front rating, and the 690 V AC / 500 V DC voltage ratings. The deciding factor: do you need a service disconnect or a protective device?