What this MCCB carries — and where it fits
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1163-6EF36-0AH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 63 A continuous current (Iu) with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. Its breaking capacity hits 220 kA at 240 V AC — that's the headline number for high-fault panels where you need selectivity without cascading upstream. At 415 V it still holds 154 kA, and at 690 V it drops to 17 kA, which is typical for a compact frame MCCB sized for line protection, not motor protection (the product version is explicitly 'Line protection'). The auxiliary contact pack comes as 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ type), so you get both status and alarm feedback without adding a separate module. The thermal derating curve is published: full 63 A up to 50 °C ambient, then 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 runs hot — say a packed enclosure near a furnace line — that 56.7 A at 70 °C tells you exactly what continuous load it can carry without nuisance tripping. The operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C.
Panel fit and footprint
The 3VA1163-6EF36-0AH0 measures 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep. It mounts on a DIN rail or can be screw-fixed to a backplate.
Why the 220 kA matters
A 220 kA interrupting rating at 240 V is high for a 63 A frame. That puts this breaker in the same league as larger-frame MCCBs for fault-current handling. It means you can place it downstream of a transformer or a high-capacity service entrance and still maintain selective coordination without stepping up to a physically bigger breaker. The TM240 release is fixed thermal and magnetic — no electronic adjustment, no communication, no ground-fault monitoring. It's a straightforward line-protection device: trip curve is what it is, no programming required.