What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1180-3EF36-0AD0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection in distribution panels. It carries 80 A continuous current (Iu) through three poles, with a TM240 thermal-magnetic trip unit — meaning the thermal element handles overloads and the magnetic element handles short circuits, adjustable to a 1 s time delay at maximum (tr max). The interrupting capacity tells you where it fits: 75.6 kA at 240 V, 52.5 kA at 415 V, 32 kA at 440 V, and 10.5 kA at 690 V. At 415 V — common in industrial three-phase panels — that 52.5 kA rating means it can safely clear a bolted fault up to that level without the arc flashing over or the case rupturing. That's the number your arc-flash study will check against the available fault current at the panel.
Thermal derating — the real-world current
This MCCB holds 80 A flat from 40 °C through 50 °C ambient. Above that it starts to taper: 76.8 A at 55 °C, 75.2 A at 60 °C, 73.6 A at 65 °C, and 72 A at 70 °C. If your panel runs hot — say a packed enclosure near a furnace line — that 72 A at 70 °C is the number to size against, not the 80 A nameplate. The operating range spans -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C.
Panel fit and auxiliaries
Dimensions are 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, 70 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that drops into most SENTRON distribution blocks and panelboards without re-drilling. IP40 on the front means it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm, but not against water ingress; keep it inside a rated enclosure. It ships with three auxiliary switches (HQ type) for status feedback to a PLC or indicator lamp — no separate aux kit to order. No undervoltage release, no shunt trip, no ground-fault module, no communication function on this variant.