What the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens 3VA1220-5EF42-0AH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 200 A continuous current at 40 °C, holding that full rating through 50 °C before the thermal curve starts to bite — at 55 °C it's 194 A, at 70 °C it's 176 A. That flat-top derating profile means you don't lose headroom in a warm panel until the ambient actually pushes past 50 °C. The 4-pole design and TM240 thermal-magnetic release make this a line-protection breaker, not a motor-protection device — the TM240 release is sized for cable and busbar protection, not for an overload relay curve. The interrupting ratings climb to 187 kA at 240 V and 121 kA at 415 V, so it handles high-fault-current points like a main or feeder breaker in an industrial distribution board. The auxiliary contact configuration ships as 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch HQ — that's the HQ variant, meaning the alarm switch changes state on a trip event, not on manual open/close. If your safety circuit or PLC needs a separate signal that the breaker tripped on fault (not just that it's open), that alarm contact is the one to wire. IP40 on the front means the breaker face is protected against tools and wires over 1 mm — standard for a panel-mounted device behind a closed door. No washdown rating here; this lives inside the enclosure.
Panel fit and integration
The breaker footprint is 140 mm wide by 158 mm tall by 70 mm deep — that's a 4-pole MCCB in the SENTRON 3VA frame size. It mounts on a DIN rail or can be screw-fixed to a backplate. The 70 mm depth means it clears most 200 mm deep enclosures with room for rear-connected busbars or cable lugs. Verify the busbar system (pin or fork type) matches the line-side connection pattern for your distribution board.