What it is and what the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens 3VA2225-5HL42-0AG0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its 250 A continuous rating at 40 °C means it carries that load without derating up to 50 °C — above that, the thermal curve drops to 241 A at 55 °C, 232 A at 60 °C, 222 A at 65 °C, and 213 A at 70 °C. That derating profile is what you size against actual panel ambient, not the nameplate. The breaking capacity tells you where it clears faults without upstream coordination: 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. That 121 kA at 415 V is the number that matters for most European 400 V industrial mains — it means this breaker handles high-fault-current scenarios common in transformer-fed switchboards. Four poles, 86 mm deep, 140 mm wide, 181 mm tall. The 1 auxiliary switch plus 1 trip alarm switch HP gives you remote status and fault indication — useful for PLC-based monitoring without adding a separate alarm module.
Lifecycle and sourcing reality
Sourced to order through independent distribution. Availability and current pricing are confirmed at quote time against an RFQ. For volume or blanket orders, the 48 W maximum power loss is worth factoring into panel thermal calculations if you're packing multiple breakers in a confined enclosure.
Panel integration and deployment context
Mounts in a standard distribution panel — the 86 mm depth and 140 mm width fit typical Siemens SENTRON mounting bases. The -25 °C to 70 °C operating range covers most indoor industrial environments; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C handles warehouse extremes. The trip indicator gives a visual flag on the breaker face, so a walk-through inspection catches a tripped unit without opening the panel door.