MCCB for line protection with high interrupting capacity
The Siemens 3VA1196-4EF32-0JC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) sized for line-protection duty, rated at 16 A continuous current and carrying a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. Its interrupting capacity hits 121 kA at 240 V and 75.6 kA at 415 V — figures that place it well above typical panelboard SCCR requirements, so you can coordinate it upstream of downstream breakers without worrying about cascading failure during a bolted fault. The 3-pole frame includes a factory-fitted shunt trip (STL) for remote emergency-off or undervoltage-initiated tripping, plus two HQ auxiliary switches for status feedback to a PLC or annunciator. No communication module, no ground-fault monitoring — this is a straightforward, hardwired MCCB for standard distribution panels.
Thermal derating and panel fit
The breaker holds its full 16 A rating up to 50 °C ambient; above that it derates linearly to 14.4 A at 70 °C. If the panel runs hot — say, adjacent to a drive cabinet — use the 55 °C figure of 15.36 A for your continuous-load calculation. The 76.2 mm width and 70 mm depth fit a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint on DIN rail or a SENTRON mounting plate; the IP40 front face keeps dust out of the enclosure.
Auxiliary trip and release configuration
The integrated auxiliary trip is specified as order code 3VA9688-0BL32 — that is the shunt-trip module wired to the breaker's internal mechanism. The overcurrent release is a TM240 thermal-magnetic type, meaning fixed thermal and magnetic trip settings calibrated for line protection. No undervoltage release is fitted, so remote tripping relies on the shunt trip alone.