160 A MCCB for line protection — SCCR and footprint
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2216-8JQ32-0AA0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 160 A continuous current, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its interrupting capacity reaches 440 kA at 240 V and 330 kA at both 415 V and 440 V, dropping to 52.5 kA at 690 V — a curve that tells you where the available fault current sits on the secondary side of a typical 480 V or 400 V transformer. The 86 mm depth and 105 mm width fit standard MCCB mounting footprints; the 181 mm height clears most enclosure gutters without a sub-panel riser.
Ground-fault monitoring and communication
This breaker includes a ground-fault monitoring version configured for summation current formation on the L-conductor — it sums the phase currents to detect residual imbalance, which is the standard method for solidly-grounded systems. Communication function is built in, so it can report status and trip events to a higher-level controller or BMS without an external module. Rated insulation voltage is 800 V, giving headroom for 480 V and 600 V class systems.
Thermal derating and power loss
The 160 A rating holds flat across the ambient temperature range from 40 °C to 70 °C — no derating needed in a warm enclosure. Maximum power loss is 19.7 W, which is low enough that ventilation slots in a standard sheet-metal enclosure handle the heat without forced air. Storage range spans -40 °C to 80 °C; operating range is -25 °C to 70 °C.