What this MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA2116-6HN32-0DC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection — meaning it sits at the feeder or main distribution point, not downstream on a specific motor or load. It carries a continuous current rating of 160 A, flat across the entire ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C, so no derating curve to chase in a hot panel. The interrupting ratings are the headline: 242 kA at 240 V, 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 3.7 kA at 690 V. That 242 kA figure at 240 V tells you this breaker is built for high-fault-capacity industrial service — think transformer secondaries or bus feeds where available fault current is well above what a standard 65 kA or 100 kA MCCB can handle.
Dimensions and panel fit
The 3VA2116-6HN32-0DC0 measures 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, and 86 mm deep. That 105 mm width is the standard 3-pole SENTRON 3VA2 footprint — it drops into the same mounting cutout as other 3VA2 160 A frames. The 86 mm depth includes the arc chamber and line/load lugs; verify clearance to the enclosure door or deadfront if you're retrofitting into a tight panel.
Built-in undervoltage release and auxiliary switches
This MCCB ships with an integrated undervoltage release (UVR) — the '6HN32' suffix encodes that. The UVR trips the breaker when supply voltage drops below a set threshold, which is standard for safety disconnects on conveyor lines or machine tools where a brownout could cause uncontrolled restarts. It also carries two factory-fitted HQ auxiliary switches for status feedback to a PLC or panel lamp. No communication function on this variant — it's a standalone breaker, not a 3VA2 with ETU or Modbus option.