What this MCCB carries and where it fits
The Siemens 3VA1196-5EF32-0BC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 16 A continuous current (Iu) with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. Its interrupting capacity hits 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at 690 V — numbers that tell you it can handle high-fault utility feeds or transformer secondaries without cascading upstream. The 3-pole body carries an undervoltage release (UVR) and two high-quality auxiliary switches (3VA9608-0BB11 integrated auxiliary trip). Front IP40 means it's fine inside a dry panel; no trip indicator, no communication module, no ground-fault monitoring — this is a straight line-protection breaker, not a multifunction device.
Thermal derating and ambient limits
The 16 A rating holds flat from 40 °C to 50 °C. Above that it derates: 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. Operating ambient range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. If the panel runs hot — say a packed enclosure near a furnace line — the 70 °C ceiling still allows 14.4 A continuous, which is enough for a 15 A feeder but not a full 16 A load.
Panel fit and integration
Dimensions: 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, 70 mm deep. The 76.2 mm width matches the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for a SENTRON 3VA frame — it drops into the same DIN-rail or screw-mount panel cutout as other 3VA line-protection breakers. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so it's comfortable on 480 V or 600 V distribution. Latching endurance is 15,000 operations; that's typical for a fixed-mounted MCCB in a main or feeder role, not a daily-switch application.