What this MCCB carries — and what it doesn't
The Siemens 3VA2116-5HN36-0JH0 is a 3-pole SENTRON molded case circuit breaker rated for line protection, with a continuous current Iu of 160 A and an ETU350 electronic trip unit. Breaking capacity hits 187 kA at 240 V and 121 kA at 415 V — that's enough to interrupt a fault upstream of a 2000 kVA transformer without the arc flashing over to the bus. The shunt trip (STL) lets a remote safety relay or E-stop drop the breaker independently of the overcurrent release, which is the usual way to wire an emergency-off circuit in a panel. No undervoltage release, no phase-failure detection, no communication module — this is a straight feeder breaker, not a power monitor.
Thermal derating — the real continuous rating
The 160 A rating holds from 40 °C through 50 °C. At 55 °C it drops to 154 A, at 60 °C to 148 A, at 65 °C to 142 A, and at 70 °C to 136 A. If this breaker sits in a non-ventilated enclosure next to a transformer or drive, the 70 °C figure is the one to size against — not the catalog 160 A. Maximum power loss is 25.5 W, which matters for thermal rise calculations in a multi-breaker lineup.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions: 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, 86 mm deep. That 86 mm depth is the body only — add clearance for the shunt trip wiring and the auxiliary switch harness. The breaker mounts on a DIN rail or directly to a backplate via the SENTRON mounting feet. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. The trip indicator and voltage trigger are built in, so you get local visual status without an extra module.