What this MCCB delivers on a distribution board
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2116-5KP32-0CA0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating needed up to that ceiling. Breaking capacity hits 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V, and still holds 75.6 kA at 500 V, which gives you headroom for high-fault utility feeds or transformer secondaries. The line protection design means it's set up for cable and busbar protection out of the box, and the integrated undervoltage release (UVR) lets you drop the breaker on a control signal or safety circuit without an external shunt trip.
Sizing and selectivity decisions
The 160 A rating is flat across the temperature band — no curve to chase at 50 °C versus 65 °C. That simplifies panel thermal calculations. Insulation voltage is rated 800 V, so it's comfortable on 690 V systems where the breaking capacity drops to 3.7 kA; that's a low-fault scenario like a downstream sub-distribution, not a main. The 86 mm depth and 105 mm width fit standard MCCB mounting footprints; the 181 mm height is typical for this frame size. Power loss maxes at 28 W, which matters for enclosure ventilation planning when you stack several breakers.
Panel integration and wiring notes
The breaker ships with the basic switch 3VA21165KP320AA0 as the supplied switching element. The undervoltage release is factory-fitted — verify coil voltage against your control circuit before power-up. Communication function is present on this variant, so it can report status or accept remote commands over the SENTRON communication bus. No ground-fault monitoring module is included; if GF protection is needed, that's a separate accessory. Storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C, operating range -25 °C to 70 °C.