What this MCCB carries
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1196-4GF46-0AA0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated at 16 A continuous, with a TM240 thermal-magnetic trip unit. The TM240 designation means the thermal element is fixed at 16 A and the magnetic short-circuit pickup is adjustable — typical for line protection in distribution panels where you want a hard 16 A limit but some flexibility on the instantaneous trip threshold. Breaking capacity is the headline here: 121 kA at 240 V AC, 75.6 kA at 415 V, 52.5 kA at 440 V, and it still holds 11.9 kA all the way up to 690 V. That's a high-interrupting rating for a 16 A frame — this isn't a general-purpose feeder breaker; it's sized for high-fault locations like a main or subfeed in an industrial switchboard where available fault current is serious.
Thermal derating and panel fit
The 16 A rating holds flat from 40 °C up to 55 °C ambient — no derating needed in a warm enclosure. At 60 °C it drops to 15 A, and at 70 °C it's still 15 A. That's a clean thermal curve; you don't lose headroom until the panel is genuinely hot. Dimensions are 130 mm tall, 101.6 mm wide, 70 mm deep — a 4-pole MCCB in a compact footprint that fits standard Siemens SENTRON mounting bases. IP40 on the front means it's protected against tools and wires but not washdown; this is a dry indoor panel part.