What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1163-5EF32-0DC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection — the primary overcurrent guard on a feeder or distribution circuit. Three poles, rated 63 A continuous at 40 °C, and it holds that rating flat through 50 °C before a gentle derate curve: 62 A at 55 °C, 61 A at 60 °C, 60 A at 65 °C, 58 A at 70 °C. That means in a warm panel or a nacelle cabinet you lose only a few amps, not a full thermal step.
Breaking capacity — the real fault-handling headroom
This MCCB carries 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at both 500 V and 690 V. Those are the maximum prospective fault currents it can safely interrupt without welding contacts or venting arc. On a 480 V panel in North America or a 400 V IEC distribution board, you have headroom well above typical utility fault levels — selectivity with upstream gear is achievable without oversizing.
Built-in auxiliaries and release
Factory-fitted with an undervoltage release (UVR) and two auxiliary switches HQ. The UVR trips the breaker when control voltage drops — standard for emergency-stop chains or undervoltage protection on motor feeders. The two HQ aux switches give status feedback (open/closed) for a PLC or annunciator without adding a separate accessory module. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so the aux circuit matches the main breaker's isolation class.
Panel fit and environment
Dimensions: 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, 70 mm deep — a 3-pole MCCB that fits a standard distribution board footprint. Operating temperature range -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss 19.8 W at rated load; that matters for thermal calculations inside a sealed enclosure. No communication function, no ground-fault monitoring — this is a straight line-protection breaker with UVR.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
Lifecycle stage is current — this is an active, in-production catalog item from Siemens SENTRON. No phase-out or last-time-buy notice on record. Sourced and quoted to order through independent distribution; availability and current pricing confirmed at quote time against an RFQ.