What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA2116-5HL32-0CL0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection — meaning it's the main guard between a feeder and whatever's downstream, not a motor-protective device. It's a 3-pole unit with a rated continuous current Iu of 160 A and uses an ETU320 electronic trip unit (the standard adjustable thermal-magnetic replacement for basic overload and short-circuit curves). Breaking capacity is where this breaker earns its keep: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at both 415 V and 440 V, 79 kA at 500 V, and still 4.25 kA at 690 V. That's serious fault-interruption muscle — it clears high-energy arcs without welding contacts or venting plasma into the panel, which is what you want when the transformer secondary is stiff and the bolted-fault current is well above 100 kA. Rated insulation voltage Ui is 800 V, so the breaker's internal creepage and clearance are specced for 690 V systems with margin. The operating temperature range runs from -25 °C to 70 °C, with derating starting at 55 °C (154 A at 55 °C, stepping down to 136 A at 70 °C).
Built-in auxiliaries and releases
This variant ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) fitted — part of the auxiliary release design. That UVR trips the breaker when control voltage drops below a threshold, which is standard for emergency-stop circuits or undervoltage protection schemes where you want the breaker open if the control supply fails. The auxiliary contact configuration is comprehensive: 2 auxiliary switches, 1 trip alarm switch, and 1 electrical alarm switch (HQ type) — enough to feed status back to a PLC or annunciator without adding external relays. The integrated auxiliary trip (part 3VA9608-0BB24) is already inside the breaker, and the supplied basic switch variant is 3VA2116-5HL32-0AA0 — meaning the base MCCB frame is the same as the standard line-protection version; the -0CL0 suffix adds the UVR and the full auxiliary contact pack. No communication function, no phase-failure detection, no ground-fault monitoring — this is a clean, hardwired breaker for conventional distribution panels where you don't need network connectivity.
Sourcing and lifecycle reality
Lifecycle status is current — Siemens builds this order code. Standard catalog line replenished through normal distribution.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, 86 mm deep. That width is standard for a 3-pole SENTRON 3VA2 frame — it occupies three 35 mm DIN spaces (105 mm / 35 mm = 3 modules). The 86 mm depth means it clears most 200 mm deep enclosures with room for wiring gutters; the 181 mm height fits standard 600 mm tall panel sections with busbar clearance above. Maximum power loss is 28 W — not trivial, so if you're packing multiple breakers in a sealed enclosure, factor that heat into the thermal calculation.