The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2140-7JQ32-0EH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying a continuous current Iu of 40 A. It's fitted with an ETU560 electronic trip unit and includes communication capability, making it a candidate for monitored distribution panels where you want trip data back on the bus rather than a blind thermal-magnetic. Breaking capacity is the headline here: 330 kA at 240 V, 242 kA at 415 V, and 3.75 kA at 690 V. That 330 kA figure at 240 V puts it squarely in the high-fault-current class — think large transformer secondaries or utility-side service entrances where the available fault current is brutal. At 415 V it still holds 242 kA, which covers most industrial 400 V distribution without needing a current-limiting fuse upstream. The 40 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C, then derates gradually to 34 A at 70 °C. That's a clean thermal curve — no surprise drop at 45 °C like some breakers. If your panel ambient runs hot, you still have 38.5 A at 55 °C and 37 A at 60 °C, so a 40 A feeder on a warm busway isn't automatically a derate problem.
Panel fit and integration
Dimensions are 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, 107 mm deep. That 105 mm width is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this class — it occupies three 35 mm DIN module positions if you're thinking about fill factor on a DIN rail, though MCCBs this size are typically bolted direct to a mounting plate rather than snapped on. The IP40 front face keeps fingers out of the live terminals but it's not sealed for washdown. Auxiliary contact configuration comes as 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm switch (HQ version). That gives you two separate signal paths for status feedback — one for the breaker position, one for the alarm contact that closes only on a trip event. The integrated auxiliary trip module carries order code 3VA9908-0BC11, and the basic switch variant is 3VA2140-7JQ32-0AA0 if you need a baseline version without the communication stack. Power loss is rated at a maximum of 2 W, which is negligible for panel thermal budgeting. The ETU560 electronic trip draws its own operating power from the line current via current transformers — no separate control power needed for the trip unit itself, though the communication function may need a 24 V auxiliary supply depending on the network interface.
Lifecycle and sourcing
For compliance documentation, the SENTRON 3VA2 series carries IEC 60947-2 certification as a molded case circuit breaker. RoHS and REACH declarations are standard from Siemens for current-production parts. The reference code per DIN EN 81346-2 is Q, which maps to circuit protection function in the labeling standard.