What this MCCB does — and what the ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens 3VA1196-4EF36-0JH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker built for line protection in distribution panels. It carries a full-rated 16 A continuously up to 55 °C ambient — no derating needed in most ventilated enclosures — and only steps down to 15 A at 60–70 °C, so you can keep the same breaker across a warm summer lineup without swapping out for a higher frame. The interrupting capacity hits 121 kA at 240 V and still delivers 75.6 kA at 415 V, which gives you solid SCCR headroom for high-fault service entrances or industrial feeders. That 800 V rated insulation voltage means it's comfortable on 480 V and 600 V class systems, not just the low end. The 3-pole design suits three-phase feeders, and the integrated shunt trip (STL) plus two auxiliary switches and a trip alarm switch let you remote-trip or signal the breaker state without adding external relays.
Footprint and panel integration
The breaker measures 70 mm deep, 76.2 mm wide, and 130 mm tall. That 3-inch width per pole is standard for this frame class — it'll drop into a 3-pole slot in a SENTRON distribution board or a DIN-rail adapter without re-drilling the gland plate. The shunt trip and auxiliary switch pack adds about one module width on the side; factor that into your wireway fill if you're packing the enclosure tight.