What This Breaker Is and Where It Fits
The Siemens 3VA2116-5HN32-0HH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous current across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating needed until you cross 70 °C. That 160 A holds steady at every temperature step in between, which simplifies panel design in warm enclosures or near heat-producing gear. It's a 3-pole unit built for line protection, meaning it guards feeders and downstream distribution against overloads and short circuits — not motor protection with adjustable thermal curves, but straight line protection where the trip characteristic is fixed for cable and busbar protection.
Breaking Capacity — What the Ratings Actually Mean
This MCCB carries a 187 kA interrupting rating at 240 V, which drops to 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, then 75.6 kA at 500 V, and finally 3.7 kA at 690 V. For a 160 A frame, that 187 kA at 240 V is a high-interrupting-capacity device — it will clear a massive fault without self-destructing, which matters on large transformers or close-coupled buswork where available fault current is high. The sharp drop at 690 V (3.7 kA) means this is not a 690 V workhorse; if your system runs at that voltage, verify the available fault current stays under that ceiling.
Physical Fit and Panel Integration
Dimensions are 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, and 86 mm deep. The width is the critical number for DIN-rail or mounting-plate layout — three of these side by side eat 315 mm of rail space. Depth of 86 mm fits standard 200 mm deep enclosures with room for wiring gutters. Height of 181 mm is compact for a 160 A frame, so it clears most standard gland plates.
Auxiliary Hardware Built In
Factory-fitted with 2 auxiliary switches plus a trip alarm switch (HQ), and a shunt trip release (STL). That means you get remote status indication and remote trip capability without ordering separate accessory kits — it's wired and ready. The shunt trip lets a safety PLC or E-stop circuit drop the breaker remotely, which is common in emergency-off chains or interlocked machine cells.
Power Loss and Thermal Management
Maximum power loss is 25.5 W at rated current. For a 160 A breaker that's modest — it won't cook neighboring components, but in a densely packed panel with multiple breakers, you still want to account for cumulative heat. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C.