The Siemens 3VA2040-8HL36-0AF0 is a 3-pole IEC molded-case circuit breaker in the 3VA2 frame 100, rated for line protection with an ETU320 trip unit (LI characteristic). Its headline breaking capacity is 150 kA at 415 V — class L, meaning it handles very high fault currents typical of large industrial distribution or transformer secondary feeds. The continuous current rating In is 40 A, with overload protection Ir adjustable from 16 A to 40 A, and short-circuit protection Ii adjustable from 1.5 to 12 times In. That adjustability lets you fine-tune coordination with downstream breakers without swapping the trip unit.
Integration Notes
Mounts on a standard DIN rail or panel-mount base in the enclosure. The clamp (screwless) terminals accept copper conductors — strip length and torque values per the Siemens mounting sheet. The integrated auxiliary switch HQ and trip alarm switch HQ provide status feedback to a PLC or annunciator panel, eliminating the need for a separate contact block. For selectivity studies, the ETU320 LI curve coordinates with downstream 10–25 A breakers in most 415 V networks.