What this MCCB is and what it does
This is a Siemens SENTRON 3VA2216-5MN32-0CC0 molded case circuit breaker purpose-built for motor protection. It's a 3-pole unit rated for a continuous 160 A, with an ETU350M electronic overcurrent release handling the trip curve. The motor-protection designation means it's tuned for the inrush and running characteristics of a motor load — phase-failure detection is built in, so a lost leg doesn't cook the winding. The interrupting capacity is substantial: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 17 kA at 690 V. That kind of fault-clearing headroom makes it a solid choice for a low-voltage distribution board feeding a motor control center where the available fault current is high.
Thermal derating and what it means for the panel
The breaker holds its full 160 A rating from 40 °C up to 50 °C. At 55 °C it's still at 153.6 A, and at 70 °C it's at 144 A. That's a shallow derating curve — you don't lose much capacity even in a warm enclosure. Maximum power loss is 75 W, so factor that into your panel heat budget if you're stacking several of these.
Built-in release and auxiliary options
It ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) as the auxiliary release design, and two auxiliary switches HQ. The supplied basic switch is 3VA2216-5MN32-0AA0, and the integrated auxiliary trip is 3VA9608-0BB24. No voltage trigger or communication function here — this is a straightforward protection device, not a smart breaker. Endurance is rated at 20,000 operations.
Physical fit and environment
Dimensions are 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, and 86 mm deep. That's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this class. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. It's a panel-mounted breaker — no DIN-rail snap-on here, so plan for screw-mounting in your enclosure layout.