What this MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA1196-3EF32-0DC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. It carries a 16 A rating at 40 °C, with no derating needed up to 55 °C — at 60 °C it still holds 15 A, so it keeps its full rating through most normal panel ambient conditions. The 3-pole construction with a rated insulation voltage of 800 V suits it for 400 V and 480 V systems with headroom. Breaking capacity is 75.6 kA at 240 V, 52.5 kA at 415 V, and 32 kA at 440 V — numbers that put it squarely in the high-interrupting category for industrial feeder and subfeeder duty. At 500 V and 690 V it still delivers 11.9 kA, so it handles motor branch circuits on 480 V delta systems without a problem.
Built-in auxiliaries and releases
This MCCB ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) fitted, plus two auxiliary switches HQ. That means you get immediate trip-on-loss-of-control-voltage and two form-C signal contacts for status feedback to a PLC or indication lamp — no separate add-on modules to order and install. The supplied basic switch is order code 3VA11963EF320AA0, which is the internal switching mechanism. The 70 mm depth and 76.2 mm width mean it occupies a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint on the DIN rail or mounting plate. Panel builders can plan around 130 mm height. Power loss is 13.1 W maximum — modest enough that ventilation spacing in a typical enclosure is adequate.
Lifecycle and sourcing reality
Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. That covers most indoor and outdoor enclosure environments without special derating.
Compliance documentation
As a Siemens SENTRON product, this MCCB carries the usual compliance package: UL 489, CSA C22.2 No. 5, IEC 60947-2, and CE marking. RoHS and REACH declarations are available from Siemens documentation portals. The 800 V rated insulation voltage aligns with IEC 60947-2 overvoltage category III.