What this MCCB brings to the panel
The Siemens 3VA1196-5EF32-0JC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its 16 A rating holds steady across ambient temperatures from 40 °C to 55 °C, only derating to 15 A at 60 °C and above — useful when the breaker sits in a warm enclosure near other heat sources. The interrupting capacity is the headline: 187 kA at 240 V AC, 121 kA at 415 V, and still 75.6 kA at 440 V. That puts it in a class that handles high-fault utility feeds or transformer secondaries without cascading upstream breakers. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so it's comfortable on 480 V and 600 V class systems. It ships with a shunt trip release (STL) and two auxiliary switches HQ, giving remote trip capability and status feedback without adding external relays. The 3-pole footprint — 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall, 70 mm deep — fits standard SENTRON panel mounting patterns.
Sourcing and lifecycle
Power loss is 10.6 W maximum at rated load — a number to check when calculating enclosure heat rise, especially in a densely packed panel. The operating temperature range of -25 °C to 70 °C covers most indoor industrial environments; storage range extends from -40 °C to 80 °C.
Integration notes
Mounts on a standard DIN rail or panel-mount baseplate. The 70 mm depth leaves clearance for rear-connected busbars or cable ladders. The 76.2 mm width matches the 3-pole SENTRON family, so swapping a lower-rated unit for this 16 A version means no busbar rework. The shunt trip release is factory-installed; verify the control voltage matches your trip circuit before wiring. The two auxiliary switches HQ provide one N/O and one N/C contact each — enough to signal the PLC or annunciator panel on trip and breaker position.