SENTRON 3VA2 MCCB — line protection with ground-fault monitoring
The Siemens 3VA2140-6HM46-0AA0 is a SENTRON 3VA2-series molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. It carries a rated continuous current of 40 A with an adjustable thermal overload trip range from 60 A minimum to 480 A maximum, so the same breaker body can be tuned to protect a feeder sized anywhere within that window — useful when stocking a single frame for multiple branch ratings. Breaking capacity is rated per the voltage it sees: 242 kA at 240 V AC, 187 kA at both 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 3.7 kA at 690 V. The steep drop at 690 V means this frame is not the right choice for a 690 V feeder with high prospective fault current — verify the available fault current at the installation point against the 3.7 kA ceiling. The 4-pole configuration with integral summation ground-fault monitoring (L + N conductor) covers applications where residual current detection is required without a separate RCD module — common in North American and European distribution where ground-fault protection is specified at the breaker rather than downstream.
Thermal performance — no derating across the operating range
Rated current holds at 40 A continuously from 40 °C through 70 °C ambient, per the spec table. No derating curve to calculate for panel internal temperatures up to 70 °C — the breaker is rated flat across that band. Operating ambient minimum is -25 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss is 1.6 W at rated load — negligible for panel thermal budgeting, but worth noting if the breaker is ganged in a multi-unit enclosure with limited convection.
Panel fit and dimensions
Footprint is 140 mm wide × 181 mm high × 86 mm deep (5.51 × 7.13 × 3.39 in). The 4-pole width at 140 mm is standard for a 4-pole MCCB frame in this class; verify the mounting base cutout and bus-bar spacing against the existing panel layout before ordering.