What this MCCB carries and where it fits
The Siemens 3VA1216-5MH32-0KC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous at 40 °C, with a 3-pole configuration and a starter protection design — meaning it's built to handle motor starting inrush without nuisance tripping while still providing short-circuit and overload protection for the branch circuit. Its interrupting capacity reaches 187 kA at 240 V AC, 121 kA at 415 V, and 75.6 kA at 440 V — figures that put it in the high-fault-current bracket for industrial distribution panels where upstream transformer capacity or motor contribution drives available fault current above 100 kA. The breaker includes a factory-fitted shunt trip release (STL) and two HQ auxiliary switches, so it arrives ready for remote tripping and status feedback without additional accessory wiring.
Thermal derating and panel integration
At 40 °C the breaker holds 160 A continuous; derate to 156 A at 55 °C, 151 A at 60 °C, 147 A at 65 °C, and 142 A at 70 °C — a 12% drop from 40 °C to 70 °C that matters when the MCCB sits in a sealed, uncooled enclosure near drives or transformers. Dimensions are 158 mm high, 105 mm wide, 70 mm deep — a compact footprint for a 160 A frame that fits standard panel-mount cutouts and leaves room for side-by-side ganging. Maximum power loss is 33 W at rated load, which should be factored into enclosure thermal calculations, especially in multi-breaker panels.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, and the operating temperature range spans -25 °C to 70 °C, with storage from -40 °C to 80 °C — covering most industrial environments from cold warehouses to hot panel interiors.