What this MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2216-5MN32-0DC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous current across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating needed up to that ceiling. It is designed specifically for motor protection, with phase failure detection built in and an undervoltage release (UVR) as the auxiliary release. The interrupting capacity reaches 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 4.5 kA at 690 V, so it handles high-fault utility feeds and transformer-coupled downstream faults without cascading upstream. This is a panel-mount device — 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, 86 mm deep — sized for standard SENTRON 3VA switchboard and enclosure cutouts. The basic switch variant is 3VA2216-5MN32-0AA0; this order code adds the undervoltage release and two HQ auxiliary switches.
Ratings and what they mean for fit
The 160 A rating is flat from 40 °C to 70 °C — no thermal derating curve to calculate for warm enclosures. That is the continuous current the breaker carries without tripping; for motor protection, pair it with a thermal overload relay set to the motor FLA. The interrupting ratings tell you the maximum fault current the breaker can safely clear at each system voltage — at 240 V it handles 187 kA, which covers most North American 277/480 V panelboard bus faults; at 690 V the 4.5 kA rating limits it to lower-fault installations. Power loss is 22.2 W maximum at rated current — relevant for enclosure thermal calculations when grouping multiple breakers. The operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C.
Integration notes
Mounts in a standard SENTRON 3VA panel cutout — 105 mm width per pole plus clearance for the auxiliary switch wiring. The undervoltage release (UVR) trips the breaker when control voltage drops below the dropout threshold; verify the UVR coil voltage matches your control circuit before wiring. The two HQ auxiliary switches provide status feedback (open/closed) for PLC inputs or indication lamps.