The Siemens 3VA2116-6KP42-0AA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous current across a 40 °C to 70 °C ambient range — no derating needed up to that full thermal window, which simplifies panel layout in warm enclosures. The 4-pole design with ETU850 electronic trip unit gives you adjustable long-time, short-time, instantaneous, and ground-fault protection curves, making it suitable for line protection in distribution switchboards where coordination with downstream breakers is required.
Breaking capacity and selectivity headroom
At 240 V the interrupting rating reaches 242 kA, dropping to 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, then 121 kA at 500 V, and 3.7 kA at 690 V. That 242 kA figure at 240 V is among the highest in the 160 A frame class — it handles high-fault utility feeds without cascading upstream, which matters when you are coordinating a main breaker with downstream feeders. The 690 V rating of 3.7 kA is low relative to the frame; if your system runs at 690 V with significant fault current, verify the available fault current stays under that threshold.
Physical integration and panel fit
Dimensions are 181 mm height, 140 mm width, and 86 mm depth. The 140 mm width is standard for a 4-pole MCCB in the SENTRON 3VA frame — it fits the same cutout and bus-bar spacing as other 3VA2 breakers, so a panel designed for a 3VA2163-8JQ32-0AA0 will accept this unit without rewiring the main bus. Front IP40 protection means it is suited for enclosed distribution boards where the door provides the environmental seal.
Trip unit and communication
The ETU850 electronic trip unit supports communication functions, enabling integration with energy management or remote monitoring systems. Power loss at maximum rated current is 25.5 W, which should be considered in enclosure thermal calculations. No undervoltage release or ground-fault monitoring is built in; those functions require external modules or a different variant.