250 A MCCB with ETU320 — what the ratings mean for the panel
The Siemens 3VA2225-5HL42-0HA0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker rated for 250 A continuous current (Iu) across a 4-pole frame. That 250 A holds at 40 °C, 45 °C, and 50 °C without derating; at 55 °C it steps to 241 A, at 60 °C to 232 A, at 65 °C to 222 A, and at 70 °C to 213 A — so if the panel ambient runs above 50 °C, the load current needs to stay under the derated value, not the nameplate 250 A. Breaking capacity climbs with applied voltage: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 79 kA at 500 V, and 5.1 kA at 690 V. That 187 kA at 240 V covers high-fault utility feeds; the 5.1 kA at 690 V is still adequate for most 690 V industrial distribution but confirms this frame is optimized for the 400–500 V range where MCCBs live. The ETU320 electronic trip unit handles the overcurrent protection curve. A shunt trip (STL) auxiliary release is built in — part number 3VA9688-0BL30 — for remote or undervoltage tripping. No ground-fault monitoring, no phase-failure detection, no communication function on this variant; it is a straight line-protection breaker with a remote-trip option.
Footprint and panel fit
The 3VA2225-5HL42-0HA0 measures 140 mm wide by 181 mm high by 86 mm deep. That 86 mm depth includes the case body but not the handle throw — check gland-plate clearance if the panel door closes tight. IP40 on the front means splash-protected from the front face; the rest of the breaker relies on the enclosure for ingress protection.