What this MCCB carries
The Siemens 3VA1196-5EF32-0CC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 16 A continuous current with a TM240 thermal-magnetic overcurrent release. It's a line-protection version, meaning it's tuned for feeder and distribution duty rather than motor-starting profiles. Breaking capacity is the headline here: 187 kA at 240 V AC, 121 kA at 415 V, 75.6 kA at 440 V, and 17 kA at 690 V. That's a high-interrupting rating for a 16 A frame — this breaker handles fault currents that would weld a standard MCCB's contacts shut. 3-pole design fits three-phase circuits up to 690 V line-to-line. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V.
Derating and thermal curve
The 16 A rating holds flat from 40 °C to 50 °C ambient. 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. If your panel runs hot — say, a non-ventilated enclosure in a steel mill or boiler house — size the load at the 70 °C figure, not the nameplate.
Auxiliary and undervoltage release
Factory-fitted with an undervoltage release (UVR) that drops the breaker when control voltage falls below the dropout threshold — standard for emergency-stop chains and safety circuits where loss of control power must open the main feeder. The UVR design is listed as 3VA9608-0BB24. Two auxiliary switches (HQ type) are built in for remote status indication — one NO/NC pair for breaker open/closed, another for trip signal. No communication module or ground-fault monitoring on this variant.
Panel fit and environment
Dimensions: 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, 70 mm depth. That's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint — mounts on a DIN rail or direct panel via the base. IP40 on the front face means it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm, but not against water ingress; keep it inside a sealed enclosure in washdown areas. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. The storage range exceeds the operating range — that's for handling and warehousing, not running.