What this 160 A MCCB carries
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2216-8HN42-0AA0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating needed up to that ceiling. That flat thermal curve is unusual; most MCCBs start pulling current back above 40 °C. Here it holds 160 A all the way to 70 °C ambient, which matters if this lands in a hot panel or next to a drive. The ETU350 electronic trip unit gives it adjustable long-time, short-time, instantaneous, and ground-fault protection curves — not a fixed thermal-magnetic. That means you can dial in coordination with downstream breakers without swapping the whole frame. Line protection design means it's optimized for feeder and main breaker duty, not motor branch circuit.
Breaking capacity — what the numbers mean for your fault level
At 415 V it interrupts 330 kA symmetrical. At 240 V that climbs to 440 kA. At 690 V it still holds 52.5 kA. These are IEC 60947-2 ratings — the breaker clears those fault currents without welding contacts or venting plasma into the enclosure. For a 160 A frame, 330 kA at 415 V is high-end; this breaker handles stiff utility feeds or transformer secondaries where fault current runs heavy. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, so it's comfortable on 690 V systems with margin. The 4-pole configuration covers three-phase plus neutral switching — common in North American and European distribution panels where the neutral needs disconnection.
Panel fit and integration
Footprint is 140 mm wide, 181 mm tall, 86 mm deep — a standard 4-pole MCCB envelope for SENTRON 3VA2 frames. Mounts via four screws to a backplate or onto a DIN rail adapter (sold separately). IP40 on the front means it's protected against tools and wires >1 mm, but not against water ingress — keep it inside a rated enclosure. Power loss at rated current is 19.7 W max. That's modest for a 160 A 4-pole — heat dissipation inside the panel stays manageable, but you still want ventilation or spacing if multiple breakers are ganged in a row.