MCCB for high-fault panel feeders
This Siemens SENTRON 3VA1225-6GF42-0AE0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker rated 250 A continuous, with a TM240 thermal-magnetic release for line protection. Its interrupting capacity hits 220 kA at 240 VAC, 154 kA at 415 V, and still clears 30 kA at 500 V — enough for high-fault industrial service entrances or sub-feeders where SCCR headroom matters. The 250 A rating holds steady all the way to 50 °C ambient; above that it derates linearly down to 223 A at 70 °C. That means in a hot panel — say near a furnace line or in a non-climate-controlled enclosure — you still get full current without tripping prematurely. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so this breaker can be used in 690 V systems with confidence. The 70 mm depth, 140 mm width, and 158 mm height fit standard SENTRON mounting patterns — it swaps into existing 3VA panel cutouts without re-drilling gland plates.
Derating and thermal management
Power loss at full load is 57 W maximum. That heat has to exit the enclosure — in a sealed panel, factor that into the thermal budget. The breaker operates from -25 °C to 70 °C ambient, stores from -40 °C to 80 °C. Four auxiliary switches (HQ type) are built into the supplied basic switch 3VA12256GF420AA0. That gives you two NO + two NC contacts for remote trip indication or status feedback without adding an external aux block.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
Siemens lists this part as current-production — no phase-out notice, no last-time-buy window. The SENTRON 3VA series is the active platform replacing the older 3VL line. For BOM continuity, this code is the one to freeze into new designs.