What this MCCB carries — and what it means for the panel
The Siemens 3VA2110-7MN32-0DA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) in a motor protection configuration, rated 100 A continuous current (Iu) with an ETU350M electronic trip unit. That trip unit gives you adjustable overload and short-circuit protection curves, plus phase failure detection — so it catches a lost phase before the motor cooks. The 3-pole construction handles three-phase loads, and the 800 V rated insulation voltage (Ui) means it's comfortable on 690 V systems without derating the insulation path. Breaking capacity is the headline number that decides whether this breaker survives a bolted fault. At 240 V it interrupts 330 kA; at 415 V and 440 V it holds 242 kA; at 500 V it's 187 kA; at 690 V it drops to 52.5 kA. Those are the values that tell you whether the MCCB coordinates with upstream gear — if your available fault current at the panel exceeds those numbers, the breaker won't clear the fault and you get cascade failure. The 330 kA at 240 V is typical for large transformer secondaries or generator paralleling gear. Thermal derating is where most spec sheets get ignored and panels get hot. This breaker carries a full 100 A from 40 °C through 50 °C. At 55 °C it's 96 A, at 60 °C it's 94 A, at 65 °C it's 92 A, and at 70 °C it's 90 A. If your enclosure ambient runs above 50 °C — say a crowded panel with drives — you need to account for that 10 A drop. The maximum power loss of 75 W also contributes to internal heat rise; factor that into your thermal simulation.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 86 mm deep, 105 mm wide, 181 mm high. That's a standard SENTRON 3VA2 frame footprint — it mounts on a DIN rail or can be screw-fixed to a backplate. The width is the critical dimension for multi-breaker spacing in a distribution block; 105 mm per pole set means three of these side-by-side eat 315 mm of rail. No auxiliary contacts are fitted from the factory (auxiliary contact version is listed as without), so if you need status feedback to a PLC, you'll add the 3VA9608-0BB25 auxiliary trip block separately.
What it protects and how it communicates
The ETU350M trip unit is the electronic brain. It's a motor protection variant, which means it includes phase failure detection — a common cause of single-phasing on three-phase motors. It does not have a communication function (no Modbus, no PROFIBUS), so all settings are local via the trip unit dials. The mechanical endurance is rated at 20 000 operations — that's the latching endurance, not the electrical switching life under load. For frequent switching applications, you'd want a contactor ahead of this breaker; the MCCB is the protection device, not a switching device. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. The storage range is wider because the breaker isn't dissipating heat when stored — that's the handling limit, not the running limit. No trip indicator and no voltage trigger are fitted; the undervoltage release is the only integrated auxiliary release. Ground fault monitoring is not included, so if you need GF protection, you'll need an external module or a different variant.