What this 3VA frame carries
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1180-3EF36-0BH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, meaning it sits at the feeder or subfeeder to protect cables and busbars against overload and short circuit — not a motor-protective device with thermal-bimetal curves. It carries an 80 A continuous current rating at 40 °C ambient, with a thermal derating curve that holds 80 A through 50 °C, then steps down to 78 A at 55 °C, 77 A at 60 °C, 75 A at 65 °C, and 74 A at 70 °C. The rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the maximum power loss is 21.7 W.
Breaking capacity across voltage levels
Short-circuit breaking capacity is voltage-dependent: 75.6 kA at 240 V, 52.5 kA at 415 V, 32 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at both 500 V and 690 V. These are the ultimate short-circuit breaking capacities (Icu) typical for a Siemens 3VA frame — sufficient for most industrial panelboards and distribution boards where the available fault current at the breaker line side is known. The 11.9 kA at 690 V is the limiting figure; if your transformer secondary delivers higher prospective fault current at that voltage, you need a higher-rated frame.
Built-in undervoltage release and auxiliary switching
This variant ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) fitted, which trips the breaker when supply voltage drops below a threshold — common in emergency-stop circuits or undervoltage protection schemes where machinery must not auto-restart after a dip. The auxiliary switch block includes 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ configuration), providing status feedback for PLC or indication lamps. A trip indicator is present on the front face, giving a visual flag after a fault trip.
Dimensions and panel fit
The breaker measures 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, and 70 mm depth. The 70 mm depth is the body dimension behind the panel face — important when fitting into existing enclosures where gutter space or rear clearance is tight. Width of 76.2 mm (3 inches) matches the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for Siemens 3VA frames; a panel originally cut for a 3VA1110 variant (lower ampacity) shares the same mounting hole pattern and bus-bar spacing, so this 80 A unit drops in without rewiring the bus.