What this MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1180-6EF36-0JA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 80 A continuous current (Iu) in a 3-pole configuration. It uses a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release — the '240' refers to the trip unit frame rating, not the breaker's amp rating — so the breaker is sized for 80 A but the trip unit can be adjusted within its range. The interrupting capacity is the headline number here: 220 kA at 240 V AC, 154 kA at 415 V, 121 kA at 440 V, and still 17 kA at 690 V. That high fault-clearing ability makes it suitable for installation close to large transformers or in high-available-fault-current industrial distribution panels. The breaker includes a factory-installed shunt trip (STL) auxiliary release, order code 3VA9688-0BL32, which lets you remotely trip the breaker via a control voltage. No undervoltage release, no auxiliary contacts, no communication module, no ground-fault monitoring — this is a line-protection MCCB, not a multifunction power breaker. The front face carries an IP40 rating, meaning it's protected against tools and wires greater than 1 mm but not against water ingress; mount it inside a suitable enclosure.
Thermal derating and operating limits
The 80 A rating holds steady from 40 °C up through 50 °C ambient — no derating needed in a typical warm panel. At 55 °C it drops to 76.8 A, at 60 °C to 75.2 A, at 65 °C to 73.6 A, and at 70 °C to 72 A. If your panel ambient runs above 50 °C, size the breaker for the lower continuous current. The operating temperature range is -25 °C to +70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to +80 °C.
Dimensions and panel fit
The breaker measures 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep. That 76.2 mm width is a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — three 25.4 mm pole spaces — so it fits typical DIN-rail or panel-mount cutouts for 3-pole breakers of this class. The 70 mm depth leaves room for rear-connection terminals and wiring ducts in a standard 200 mm deep enclosure.