Siemens SENTRON 3VA1196-6EF32-0AB0 — 16 A MCCB for Line Protection
The Siemens 3VA1196-6EF32-0AB0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. It's a 3-pole unit rated 16 A continuous at 40 °C, with a TM240 thermal-magnetic release that handles both overload and short-circuit trip curves. The interrupting ratings are substantial: 220 kA at 240 V, 154 kA at 415 V, and 121 kA at 440 V, dropping to 17 kA at 500 V and 690 V. That kind of high-fault capacity makes it a solid choice for main or feeder breakers in high-available-fault-current installations.
What the Ratings Mean for Fit
The 16 A rating holds steady from 40 °C up to 55 °C, then derates to 15 A at 60 °C through 70 °C. If your panel runs warm, you still get full ampacity up to 55 °C — useful in enclosed or solar-combiner environments. The TM240 release means the thermal element is calibrated for a 240 A frame, so the breaker is physically sized for higher-current bus work but fitted with a 16 A trip unit. That gives you mechanical ruggedness and high interrupting capacity in a compact package. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so it's suitable for 480/277 V and 600 V systems with margin. The operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, with storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. Power loss at rated current is 10.6 W — factor that into enclosure thermal calculations if you're stacking multiple breakers.
Panel Fit and Auxiliary Switching
Dimensions are 76.2 mm wide, 130 mm tall, and 70 mm deep — a 3-inch wide footprint that fits standard Siemens SENTRON panel mounting. The breaker comes with two auxiliary switches (HP design) pre-installed, so you get status feedback without ordering separate accessories. No undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, no communication module — this is a straight line-protection MCCB. If you need those options, you're looking at a different variant in the 3VA family.