What it is and what it does
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1180-3EF36-0AH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. It carries a continuous current of 80 A at 40 °C with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release — the 240 in the release code means the fixed thermal trip is calibrated for 80 A (the frame rating), not a 240 A setting; the TM240 is the release family for this frame size. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the interrupting capacity reaches 75.6 kA at 240 V AC, 52.5 kA at 415 V, and 32 kA at 440 V — numbers that tell you this breaker can handle high-fault-current points in a 480Y/277 V or 400 V industrial panel without cascading upstream.
Thermal derating and real-world current
The 80 A rating holds from 40 °C up to 50 °C; above that it derates gradually — 78 A at 55 °C, 77 A at 60 °C, 75 A at 65 °C, and 74 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs hot, the actual continuous current you can count on is the derated figure, not the nameplate 80 A. Maximum power loss is 19.2 W, which matters for enclosure heat rise calculations.
Auxiliary switching and monitoring
This MCCB comes factory-fitted with 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ type). That gives you two independent status contacts for remote indication (breaker ON/OFF) and a separate alarm contact that closes only on a trip event — useful for feeding a PLC input or a panel lamp without sharing the same contact pair.
Panel fit and dimensions
The breaker measures 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that fits most DIN-rail or panel-mount enclosures. The 70 mm depth is the dimension from the mounting surface to the front of the breaker, so check your gland-plate clearance if the panel door closes tight.