What this MCCB is and where it lands
The Siemens 3VA1196-5EF36-0JH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) built for line protection in distribution panels. It is a 3-pole unit rated 16 A continuously at 40 °C, with a thermal-magnetic trip curve suited to feeder and branch-circuit duty. The interrupting capacity is 187 kA at 240 V AC — that is the fault current it can safely clear without welding contacts or rupturing the case, which matters when the available fault current at the panel is high (typical near a transformer secondary). At 415 V the rating drops to 121 kA, and at 690 V it holds at 17 kA, so the application voltage governs which interrupting number you design to.
Thermal derating and panel fit
The breaker holds its full 16 A rating from 40 °C up to 55 °C ambient inside the enclosure. At 60 °C it derates to 15 A, and at 70 °C it is still at 15 A — no steep cliff, so a warm panel does not force an oversize frame. The footprint is 130 mm tall, 76.2 mm wide, and 70 mm deep, which fits standard 3-pole MCCB mounting patterns. Power dissipation is 10.6 W maximum, a number to include in the enclosure thermal budget if the panel is densely packed.