What this MCCB delivers — and where the ratings matter
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2216-5HL32-0JC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying 160 A continuous current at 40 °C through 50 °C, then derating to 136 A at 70 °C. The headline breaking capacity is 187 kA at 240 V — that is the short-circuit current it can safely interrupt at that voltage without welding contacts or venting arc gas into the enclosure. At 415 V and 440 V it still holds 121 kA, dropping to 79 kA at 500 V and 5.1 kA at 690 V. For a panel builder, the 187 kA figure at 240 V means this breaker can sit on the secondary side of a large distribution transformer or near a high-fault utility service without needing a current-limiting fuse upstream. The overcurrent release is an ETU320 — an electronic trip unit that provides LI (long-time and short-time) protection with adjustable settings, not just a fixed thermal-magnetic curve. That matters when coordinating downstream breakers in a selective distribution panel: you can set the short-time pickup and delay to let a branch breaker clear a fault before this main trips. The shunt trip (STL) integrated into the base switch allows remote tripping from an emergency-stop circuit or a PLC output, and the two HQ auxiliary switches report the breaker position back to the control system. Physically, the breaker measures 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, and 86 mm deep — a standard SENTRON 3VA frame size that fits the existing DIN-rail or screw-mounting patterns in most European and North American panel layouts. Maximum power dissipation is 19.7 W, which should be factored into the enclosure thermal budget if the breaker is enclosed with other heat sources.
Panel integration and compliance
The 3VA2216-5HL32-0JC0 mounts on a DIN rail or directly to a backplate via the screw-mounting slots. The 105 mm width occupies three 35 mm module spaces on the rail. The shunt trip and auxiliary switches are pre-wired to the base switch; no additional wiring is needed for the trip coil beyond connecting the control voltage. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, with storage from -40 °C to 80 °C — suitable for unheated electrical rooms or outdoor enclosures in temperate climates.