160 A MCCB with ETU350 — what the ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2116-6HN32-0AG0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current (Iu) with an ETU350 electronic trip unit. That 160 A holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C ambient, then derates to 154 A at 55 °C, 148 A at 60 °C, 142 A at 65 °C, and 136 A at 70 °C — so in a warm enclosure you lose roughly 15 % of capacity by the time the internal air hits 70 °C. The ETU350 gives you adjustable long-time, short-time, and instantaneous pickup curves, plus ground-fault capability if you add the optional module. This is a line-protection version (no voltage trigger, no undervoltage release, no communication function), so it's a straight feeder or main breaker for a distribution panel — not a motor-protection device.
Breaking capacity — selectivity headroom
Breaking capacity climbs to 242 kA at 240 V, drops to 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, then 121 kA at 500 V, and 5 kA at 690 V. That 242 kA at 240 V is well above typical utility fault levels for North American 240/120 V split-phase services — you get full selectivity with downstream branch breakers without worrying about cascading failure. At 415/440 V the 187 kA still covers most industrial secondary substations. The 5 kA at 690 V is the weak point; if you're feeding a 690 V drive panel, verify the available fault current stays under that number.
Mounting and integration — DIN-rail or panel-mount
Dimensions are 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, 86 mm deep. The 105 mm width is three 35 mm DIN-rail module spaces — it clips onto standard 35 mm DIN rail or can be panel-mounted via the screw terminals. IP40 on the front means it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm entering the face, but not against water ingress; keep it inside a closed enclosure rated for the environment. The auxiliary contact configuration is 1 auxiliary switch plus 1 trip alarm switch (HP type), which gives you a separate signal for breaker position and fault indication back to the PLC or SCADA.