63 A MCCB for line protection — what the ratings mean
The Siemens 3VA1163-3EF36-0KC0 is a SENTRON 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection — the primary feeder or distribution branch in a panel, not motor or generator protection. Its continuous current rating holds at 63 A from 40 °C up to 50 °C, then derates gradually to 58 A at 70 °C ambient (cites:,). The 75.6 kA breaking capacity at 240 V AC gives serious fault-clearing headroom for high-available-fault-current services; at 415 V it still interrupts 52.5 kA, dropping to 11.9 kA at 690 V (cites:,). That SCCR profile means this breaker can sit near the service entrance or a large transformer where upstream fault current is high, without needing a current-limiting fuse ahead of it. The 3VA1163-3EF36-0KC0 includes a shunt trip (STL) auxiliary release and two HQ auxiliary switches (cites:,). The shunt trip allows remote tripping from an E-stop or safety relay — a common requirement in machine-tool or conveyor panels where the breaker must drop under a safety signal. The auxiliary switches provide status feedback (open/closed) to a PLC or indicator lamp. It ships without undervoltage release or ground-fault monitoring, so if those are needed, they must be added externally or a different variant selected.
Panel fit and integration
At 76.2 mm wide (3 in) and 70 mm deep (2.76 in), this MCCB fits standard 3-pole MCCB panel cutouts and bus-bar spacing (cites:,). The 130 mm height (5.12 in) is consistent with the SENTRON 3VA1 frame family, so a panel drilled for a 3VA1 63 A frame accepts this unit without rework (cites:,). Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, covering 480/600 V systems with margin (cite:). Maximum power loss is 17.3 W — factor that into enclosure thermal calculations if the panel is densely packed (cite:).