The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1196-4EF32-0AE0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying a 16 A continuous current at 40 °C and a 121 kA interrupting capacity at 240 VAC — that is the short-circuit rating that determines whether this breaker clears a fault before the upstream device sees it, so selectivity studies hinge on this number.
Breaking capacity across the voltage range
The interrupting rating drops as voltage rises: 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at both 500 V and 690 V. For a 480 V panel the relevant figure is the 440 V column (the next-higher standard voltage class), so coordination with downstream feeders should use 52.5 kA as the let-through ceiling. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, which covers the 690 VAC systems common in mining and pumping stations without requiring a voltage-derate on the dielectric withstand.
Thermal derating and ambient temperature
The TM240 thermal-magnetic release holds 16 A from 40 °C through 55 °C, then drops to 15 A at 60 °C and 65 °C, and 15 A at 70 °C. For a panel that runs hot — say a sealed enclosure near a furnace line — the 15 A ceiling at 60 °C is the figure to use for the branch-circuit load, not the nameplate 16 A.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, 70 mm deep. The 70 mm depth means it clears most standard 200 mm deep enclosures with room for rear-mounted busbars; the 76.2 mm width (3 inches) matches the standard SENTRON 3-pole MCCB footprint, so a panel laid out for a 3VA11 or 3VA13 series breaker accepts this unit without drilling new mounting holes.