Breaking capacity — what the ratings mean for coordination
The 3VA1196-4EF32-0CH0: The interrupting ratings span four voltage levels: 121 kA at 240 V, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and 11.9 kA at 690 V (–). For a site electrical engineer, the 75.6 kA at 415 V is the figure that governs most industrial low-voltage distribution in IEC territories — it tells you this breaker can safely clear a fault up to that magnitude without rupturing or welding contacts, which is the basis for selective coordination with upstream switchgear. The 121 kA at 240 V is relevant for North American 240/120 V split-phase or 240 V delta panels. At 690 V, the 11.9 kA rating drops significantly — verify the available fault current at that voltage before specifying.
Thermal derating — the real current you can carry
The 16 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C (–). Above that, the thermal-magnetic release begins to derate: 15.36 A at 55 °C, 15.04 A at 60 °C, 14.72 A at 65 °C, and 14.4 A at 70 °C (–). For a panel OEM wireman stuffing this into a crowded enclosure, the 70 °C ambient derating to 14.4 A is the number to use for conductor sizing and thermal coordination — not the 16 A nameplate. The operating temperature range is -25 °C to +70 °C (–), with storage extremes of -40 °C to +80 °C (–).
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, and 70 mm depth. The 70 mm depth is the critical dimension for shallow backpanel enclosures — verify that the gland plate or rear wall clearance exceeds this, especially if the breaker is mounted with the optional rotary handle or auxiliary wiring. The width of 76.2 mm (3 inches) is standard for a 3-pole MCCB in this frame class, so it occupies one 3-module position on a DIN rail or panel-mount footprint. Front-face protection is IP40, meaning it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm but not against water ingress — keep it inside a rated enclosure.
Auxiliary contacts and undervoltage release
This variant ships with an integrated undervoltage release (UVR) — design of the auxiliary release is undervoltage release, and the undervoltage release is present. The auxiliary contact configuration is 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch, HQ type. The trip alarm switch changes state only when the breaker trips on a fault, not on manual open — useful for remote fault annunciation. The integrated auxiliary trip order code is 3VA9608-0BB24, which is the factory-assembled accessory; if you need to order a spare UVR separately, that's the reference.