What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1163-4EF32-0AF0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) — line protection, 3-pole, rated 63 A continuous current. It carries a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release, meaning the thermal element handles overloads and the magnetic element handles short-circuits, with no electronic trip unit or communication module onboard. The interrupting ratings tell the real story: 121 kA at 240 V, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at 690 V. That SCCR headroom means it can sit upstream of a high-fault panel without cascading — a common requirement for industrial switchboards and motor control centers. Thermal derating is flat from 40 °C to 50 °C (still 63 A), then drops to 60.48 A at 55 °C, 59.22 A at 60 °C, 57.96 A at 65 °C, and 56.7 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs above 50 °C, you lose about 6 A by 70 °C — factor that into your load budget. It ships with 1 auxiliary switch + 1 trip alarm switch (HQ version) integrated, so you get status feedback and a separate alarm contact without adding an external module. No undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, no phase-failure detection — this is a bare-bones thermal-magnetic MCCB for straightforward line protection.
Panel fit and footprint
The 3VA1163-4EF32-0AF0 measures 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep. That 76.2 mm width (3 inches) is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — it drops into a panel cutout sized for a 3-pole SENTRON 3VA frame without modification. Depth of 70 mm leaves room for rear bus connections and wiring gutters in a 200 mm deep enclosure. Front protection is IP40 — fine for a dry indoor panel, but not rated for washdown or dust ingress. Mounts on a DIN rail or direct panel; the IP40 rating applies to the front face only, so keep the enclosure sealed if the environment is dirty.