160 A MCCB with 242 kA interrupting rating — line protection for high-fault panels
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2116-6HL32-0AJ0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its interrupting capacity hits 242 kA at 240 V AC, which means it can clear a bolted fault at that level without the arc flashing over to adjacent buswork — a spec that matters when the transformer secondary is stiff and the available fault current is high. The breaker carries a 160 A rating flat across the ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating curve to chase. That simplifies panel thermal calculations: if the enclosure ambient stays under 70 °C, the breaker holds its full 160 A.
Breaking capacity across voltages — selectivity planning
At 415 V and 440 V the breaker still delivers 187 kA, dropping to 121 kA at 500 V. At 690 V the rating falls to 3.7 kA — that's the limit for 690 V line-side faults. For coordination studies, the 242 kA at 240 V is the headline number, but the 187 kA at 415 V is what governs most European 400 V distribution panels.
Physical fit and auxiliary switch complement
Dimensions: 86 mm deep, 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall. That width is standard for a 3-pole MCCB in the 160 A frame — it fits the same DIN-rail or mounting-plate footprint as other SENTRON 3VA2 breakers. The breaker ships with 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HP type), wired for status feedback to a PLC or annunciator.