What this MCCB is and what it protects
The Siemens 3VA2163-7MP36-0AA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) explicitly designed for motor protection, carrying a continuous current rating of 63 A at 40 °C through 70 °C with no derating across that band. Three poles handle three-phase motor loads, and the adjustable trip class (selectable between 10A, 10/10E, 20/20E, and 30/30E) lets you match the thermal memory to the motor's starting profile — a 30E class gives a longer pickup time for high-inertia starts like conveyors or centrifuges. This breaker includes a communication function and phase failure detection, meaning it can report its status and trip on a lost phase before the motor burns out — a feature that matters in remote or unmanned installations.
Breaking capacity — the real number that decides selectivity
Rated breaking capacity is 330 kA at 240 V, 242 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 187 kA at 500 V, and drops to 3.7 kA at 690 V. The 242 kA at 415 V is the figure that governs panel coordination in most industrial low-voltage switchboards — that is the fault level this breaker can safely interrupt without cascading upstream, so verify your available fault current at the point of installation is below that threshold.
Mounting dimensions and panel fit
Dimensions are 181 mm high, 105 mm wide, 86 mm deep — a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint that fits into SENTRON distribution boards and most DIN-rail or panel-mount enclosures without gland plate conflicts.
Lifecycle and sourcing reality
Maximum power loss is 4 W, so thermal management inside a sealed enclosure is straightforward; operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C.