What it is and what it does
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2163-6HL32-0JL0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 63 A continuous current at 40 °C, designed for line protection in industrial power distribution panels. It carries a maximum breaking capacity of 242 kA at 240 V, dropping to 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 3.7 kA at 690 V — so it handles high-fault service entrances and feeder circuits where upstream coordination demands a high-interrupting device.
What the ratings mean for fit
The 63 A continuous rating holds flat across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating curve to chase for hot switchgear rooms or enclosed panels. The adjustable thermal-magnetic trip (minimum 95 A, maximum 756 A) lets you dial the instantaneous pickup to coordinate with downstream breakers or motor starters. At 4 W maximum power loss, it runs cool enough that you can pack it into a dense MCC bucket without cooking adjacent devices. The built-in auxiliary switch complement — 2 auxiliary switches + 1 trip alarm switch + 1 electrical alarm switch (HQ design) — gives the PLC or DCS a clean status picture without bolting on extra contact blocks. The shunt trip (STL) release lets a remote safety relay or E-stop string drop the breaker under load, which matters for emergency-off circuits that need to kill power to a whole section of the line.
Where it goes and how it mounts
This MCCB mounts in a standard panel or enclosure footprint — 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, 86 mm deep — so it fits existing SENTRON 3VA cutouts and bus-bar kits. The line-protection design means it is wired ahead of the load (feeder or sub-feed), not as a motor-circuit protector; pair it with a contactor and overload for motor duty. Operating range from -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C, so it survives a cold warehouse or a hot roof-top enclosure without issue.