What this 3VA2 MCCB delivers on the panel
The Siemens 3VA2040-6HM36-0AA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker rated for 40 A continuous current across its full ambient range — it holds 40 A from 40 °C through 70 °C without derating, which simplifies panel layout when the breaker sits near warm drives or transformers. Three-pole construction, line-protection design (no undervoltage release, no communication module), and a 242 kA interrupting rating at 240 VAC — that SCCR handles most utility-transformer fault levels without requiring a current-limiting upstream device. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so it slots into 480/277 V and 600 V panels with full coordination headroom.
Mounting and integration
Footprint is 105 mm wide × 181 mm tall × 86 mm deep — standard 3-pole MCCB envelope for a 40 A frame. Bolts onto the mounting plate; line and load lugs accept copper or aluminum conductors sized for the 40 A rating. Power loss at rated current is 2.2 W maximum — negligible for enclosure heat-rise calculations, but worth noting if you pack multiple units in a sealed cabinet. Operating temperature range -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. The storage floor matters if the breaker sits in an unheated warehouse before installation.
Breaking capacity across voltages
Interrupting ratings: 242 kA at 240 VAC, 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 3 kA at 690 V. The steep drop at 690 V means this frame is not intended for 690 V line-side faults — the 3 kA figure is a withstand rating for the downstream load circuit, not a primary fault-interruption spec.
Ground-fault and monitoring
This variant includes summation-current ground-fault monitoring on the L conductors — it measures vector sum of the phase currents to detect leakage to ground. No separate voltage trigger or communication function on this order code.