What this MCCB carries and where it fits
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1196-5EF36-0CC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated 16 A at 40 °C, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its headline breaking capacity is 187 kA at 240 VAC — that means it can safely interrupt a fault current up to 187,000 A at that voltage without welding contacts or rupturing the case, which is essential for high-fault installations like transformer secondaries or large motor control centers. At 415 VAC the rating is 121 kA, and at 690 VAC it still holds 17 kA, so the part covers both 400 V and 690 V industrial networks with a single frame size. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, which gives headroom for 690 V systems without derating the internal clearances. The breaker ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) fitted — if the control voltage drops below the dropout threshold, the UVR trips the breaker open, which is a common requirement for safety circuits that need to guarantee a de-energized state on loss of control power. The auxiliary switch block is configured as 2 HQ switches (form C, changeover), so you get two independent signal paths for status feedback to a PLC or annunciator panel. Power loss is 13.1 W at rated load — modest for a 16 A frame, but worth accounting for in a densely packed enclosure with limited convection.
Dimensions and panel fit
The 3VA1196-5EF36-0CC0 measures 130 mm high, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep. The 76.2 mm width (3 inches) is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this SENTRON frame.
Current rating across temperature
The breaker is rated 16 A continuously from 40 °C up to 55 °C ambient. At 60 °C it derates to 15 A, and holds that 15 A rating through 70 °C. This flat thermal curve is typical of electronic-trip MCCBs — the trip unit compensates for ambient temperature, so you don't lose capacity until you exceed 55 °C. Operating range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C.