What this MCCB is and what the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens 3VA1216-5MH32-0AA0 is a SENTRON-series molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for starter protection — meaning it's sized to sit ahead of a motor starter combination, providing both thermal overload and short-circuit protection in one frame. It carries a TM120M thermal-magnetic overcurrent release, which means the thermal element is fixed at 160 A and the magnetic pickup is adjustable. At 40 °C ambient the breaker is rated for 160 A continuous; that rating holds flat through 50 °C, then derates to 156 A at 55 °C, 151 A at 60 °C, 147 A at 65 °C, and 142 A at 70 °C — so if your panel ambient runs above 50 °C, you need to apply the derating curve from the device manual. The breaking capacity tells you the maximum fault current this breaker can safely interrupt at a given voltage. At 240 V it's rated for 187 kA; at 415 V it drops to 121 kA; at 440 V it's 75.6 kA; at 500 V it's 30 kA; and at 690 V it's 4.5 kA. For a 400 V three-phase system (common in European industrial panels), the 121 kA figure at 415 V is the one that governs — verify your available fault current at the panelboard against that value. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the front face carries IP40 protection — suitable for enclosure mounting where the front is behind a door. The three-pole design fits standard 3-phase motor or feeder circuits. Maximum power loss at rated current is 33 W, which matters for thermal management inside a sealed enclosure.
Dimensions and panel integration
The breaker measures 105 mm wide by 158 mm high by 70 mm deep. That 70 mm depth is the body depth behind the panel face — important when you're checking clearance to the backplate or door-mounted components. The 105 mm width is a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this current class; it occupies three 35 mm DIN-rail modules worth of space if mounted on a DIN rail, though the 3VA1 series typically bolts to a mounting plate rather than snapping onto a DIN rail. Verify the mounting pattern against your existing panel layout.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
The lifecycle stage is listed as current — this is an active-production part from Siemens. It is not subject to a last-time-buy or phase-out notice. For BOM-line sourcing, the part is quoted to order against an RFQ through independent distribution; availability and current pricing are confirmed at quote time.