Siemens 3VA2040-5HL32-0BE0 — 40 A SENTRON MCCB with ETU320 and Undervoltage Release
The Siemens 3VA2040-5HL32-0BE0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 40 A continuous at 40 °C through 70 °C — the current rating holds flat across the entire operating temperature range, so no derating curve to track for standard panel ambient conditions. It carries an ETU320 electronic trip unit with an adjustable current range from 60 A minimum to 480 A maximum, though the breaker frame itself is rated for 40 A continuous; the trip unit settings govern the overload and short-circuit protection thresholds within that frame rating. Breaking capacity reaches 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 3 kA at 690 V — the 187 kA figure at 240 V is the highest interrupting rating on this unit, suitable for high-fault utility or transformer-fed downstream panels where available fault current exceeds 100 kA.
The 40 A continuous rating at 40–70 °C means this breaker can be installed in a warm enclosure — say, a panel near a motor drive or transformer — without needing to step up to a 50 A frame to compensate for ambient temperature. The ETU320 electronic trip unit provides adjustable long-time, short-time, and instantaneous protection, plus ground-fault alarm or trip if configured; the minimum setting of 60 A on the trip unit is above the 40 A frame rating, so the trip unit is set for a higher current than the breaker's continuous rating — this is typical for MCCBs where the frame rating is the thermal limit and the trip unit is set to protect downstream conductors. The 187 kA interrupting rating at 240 V is the key number for high-fault installations — if the available fault current at the panel is, say, 150 kA, this breaker clears it without needing a current-limiting fuse upstream. At 480 V or 600 V class systems, the 121 kA at 415/440 V and 75.6 kA at 500 V still cover most industrial service-entrance and distribution panel scenarios. The 3 kA at 690 V is a low figure — this breaker is not intended for 690 V high-fault applications; use a higher-voltage-rated MCCB for that.
The 3-pole design with 105 mm width fits standard 3-pole MCCB spacing in a distribution panel. The undervoltage release (UVR) is factory-integrated — no field-assembly of the release mechanism required. The ETU320 trip unit is the electronic version with a rotary dial for adjustment; it does not include a communication function or voltage trigger, so remote trip indication is via the auxiliary contacts only.