What this MCCB carries and where it fits
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2110-5HL36-0HH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 100 A continuous current at 40 °C, with an ETU320 electronic overcurrent release and an integrated shunt trip (STL). Its interrupting capacity reaches 187 kA at 240 V AC and 121 kA at 415 V AC, which places it squarely in high-fault-duty distribution — think main or feeder breakers in industrial switchboards where available fault current exceeds what a standard MCCB can handle. The 800 V rated insulation voltage (Ui) confirms it is built for 480/600 V class systems with headroom. The auxiliary contact configuration — 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ designation) — means this breaker can report its status and trip event back to a PLC or annunciator without an external interface module. That is a practical detail for a panel builder who wants remote indication without adding a separate auxiliary block.
Thermal derating and real-world current capability
The 100 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C ambient. Above that, the derating curve is published: 96.25 A at 55 °C, 92.5 A at 60 °C, 88.75 A at 65 °C, and 85 A at 70 °C. If the panel ambient runs hot — say, a non-ventilated enclosure near a furnace line — the effective continuous current drops by 15 % at the top end. That is the number to use for NEC ampacity calculations, not the und derated nameplate.
Interrupting ratings across voltage classes
The 187 kA at 240 V AC is the headline figure, but the more relevant number for a 480 V distribution panel is the 121 kA at 440 V. At 500 V it still holds 79 kA; at 690 V it drops to 4.25 kA. That steep fall at 690 V is characteristic of an air-break MCCB with a fixed arc chamber — it is not intended for 690 V high-fault applications. For a 400/415 V system with a transformer secondary capable of 100 kA, this breaker has the interrupting margin.
Physical footprint and panel fit
Dimensions are 181 mm height, 105 mm width, 86 mm depth. The 105 mm width is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this SENTRON frame size — it occupies three 35 mm DIN-rail modules worth of panel width. The 86 mm depth includes the arc-chamber protrusion behind the mounting plane; verify clearance against the enclosure back wall, especially if a rear-mounted bus bar or cable duct is present.
Integrated trip unit and release options
The ETU320 electronic trip unit provides adjustable overload and short-circuit protection curves. The shunt trip (STL) allows remote tripping from an emergency-stop circuit or a supervisory system. The breaker also ships with a voltage trigger (undervoltage release is not fitted on this variant). The basic switch supplied is order code 3VA2110-5HL36-0AA0; the integrated auxiliary trip module is 3VA9688-0BL30. These are the service parts if the auxiliary contact block needs replacement.
Environmental limits
Operating temperature range is -25 °C to +70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to +80 °C. Maximum power dissipation is 10 W at rated current — a modest heat load for a ventilated enclosure, but worth accounting for in a sealed, high-density panel with multiple breakers.