63 A MCCB with shunt trip — motor protection duty
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2163-5MN36-0KA0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 63 A continuous current across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating needed up to the enclosure's thermal limit. Designed specifically for motor protection, it includes phase failure detection and a shunt trip (STL) auxiliary release, making it a fit for motor control centers where remote trip via a control signal is required. The interrupting ratings climb to 187 kA at 240 V and hold at 121 kA through 415 V and 440 V, then step down to 75.6 kA at 500 V and 3.7 kA at 690 V — a curve that governs selectivity coordination downstream.
SCCR headroom and coordination
The 187 kA at 240 V places this MCCB in the high-interrupting category for 240 V distribution — useful for transformer-secondaries or large capacitor-bank feeds where fault current runs high. At 415 V and 440 V the 121 kA rating still covers most industrial service-entrance levels. The steep drop to 3.7 kA at 690 V means this breaker is not intended for 690 V motor circuits unless the available fault current is verified below that threshold; for 690 V applications a higher-rated frame or current-limiting fuse ahead of it would be needed.
Panel integration — dimensions and mounting
The breaker measures 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, and 86 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for DIN-rail or panel-mount installation in a motor control center bucket. The 86 mm depth leaves clearance for rear-connected bus bars or cable lugs in a typical 200 mm deep enclosure. No undervoltage release is fitted; the only auxiliary release is the shunt trip. The basic switch assembly is order code 3VA21635MN360AA0.
Environmental and compliance
Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss is 4 W. The product is part of the SENTRON family and carries Siemens' standard compliance documentation (RoHS, REACH, UL, IEC) — available through the manufacturer's document portal. No communication function or ground-fault monitoring is integrated; this is a standalone thermal-magnetic MCCB with shunt trip.