What the ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens 3VA2216-7HM42-0LE0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 160 A continuous at 40 °C, with no derating needed up to 70 °C — the full 160 A holds across the entire ambient range. That means it handles a steady 160 A load in a warm enclosure without nuisance tripping, which is uncommon for a frame this size. Breaking capacity hits 330 kA at 240 V AC, dropping to 242 kA at 415 V and 440 V, then 187 kA at 500 V. At 690 V it's still 4.5 kA. For a 160 A frame those are high-interrupting numbers — the 330 kA at 240 V means it can sit upstream of a large transformer or a high-fault bus without needing a current-limiting fuse ahead of it. Four poles, designed for line protection. It ships with an undervoltage release (UNI universal trigger) and four auxiliary switches HQ — so it's ready for remote status monitoring and undervoltage shutdown out of the box. The basic switch variant is 3VA2216-7HM42-0AA0 if you need a reference for the core mechanism.
Panel fit and integration
Dimensions: 86 mm deep, 140 mm wide, 181 mm tall. That's a standard 4-pole MCCB footprint for the 160 A frame class — mounts on a DIN rail or direct panel. The 140 mm width is the critical dimension for multi-breaker lineup spacing. Power loss is 22.2 W maximum at rated current. That's moderate for a 160 A 4-pole — factor it into enclosure thermal calculations, especially if you're grouping several breakers. Operating temperature range -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. The 70 °C operating ceiling matches the no-derating curve — it's a hot-panel-friendly design.