What this MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA2163-5KP32-0BH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in industrial power distribution. It is a 3-pole unit with a continuous current rating of 63 A, and that rating holds flat across the full ambient temperature range from 40 °C up to 70 °C — no derating needed for warm panel environments.
Interrupting capacity — the key selection figure
Interrupting capacity varies sharply with system voltage: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 3.7 kA at 690 V. That 187 kA at 240 V means this breaker can clear very high fault currents on 240 V secondary side of a transformer — typical for large industrial switchboards where the available fault current is high.
Built-in release and auxiliary switch complement
This MCCB includes an undervoltage release (UVR) as standard, which trips the breaker when supply voltage drops below a threshold — essential for avoiding motor re-acceleration after a dip. The auxiliary switch block provides two auxiliary switches plus one trip alarm switch (HQ), giving status feedback for remote monitoring and PLC inputs.
Communication and dimensions
The breaker has a communication function, allowing integration into a higher-level monitoring or control system — useful for energy management or remote trip indication. Physical footprint: 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, 86 mm deep. The trip indicator is present, and there is no voltage trigger or ground-fault monitoring version on this variant.