What this MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2116-8JP46-0AA0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous current, with an ETU550 electronic trip unit designed for line protection in distribution panels and industrial switchgear. Its breaking capacity scales with system voltage: 440 kA at 240 V, 330 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 220 kA at 500 V, and 52.5 kA at 690 V — so the same breaker can be specified across different voltage levels without swapping hardware, as long as the fault current stays under the curve at your point of common coupling. The ETU550 release gives you electronic adjustability on the trip curve, plus a communication function for integration into a monitoring or energy-management system — useful when you need remote status or coordination data without a separate metering module.
Dimensions and panel fit
The breaker measures 140 mm wide, 181 mm high, and 86 mm deep — a standard footprint for a 160 A frame in the 3VA platform. Front IP40 protection means it's suited for enclosed panel mounting where incidental contact with tools or wires is the main concern, not washdown. No undervoltage release or ground-fault monitoring is built in; if your coordination study calls for those, you'll need an accessory module or a different variant.
Thermal performance across temperature
The breaker holds its 160 A rating from 40 °C up through 70 °C ambient (–) — no derating needed in a warm enclosure, which simplifies the panel thermal budget if the switchgear sits near process heat or in a non-climate-controlled room.