What this MCCB carries and why it matters
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-5HL42-0HL0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 250 A continuous at 40 °C, with a maximum breaking capacity of 187 kA at 240 V. That 187 kA figure at 240 V means it can safely interrupt very high fault currents on low-voltage distribution — think large transformer secondaries or high-capacity bus risers where standard MCCBs would weld closed. At 415 V it still holds 121 kA, and at 690 V it drops to 4.5 kA, so the SCCR coordination study needs to match the actual line voltage. The breaker is designed for line protection (not motor or generator protection), so it trips on overload and short-circuit only — no undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, no communication module. The continuous current rating holds flat at 250 A up to 50 °C ambient, then derates linearly to 213 A at 70 °C. If your panel runs hot — say a non-ventilated enclosure near a furnace line — that derate curve is the one that governs the real load you can hang on this breaker. The 48 W maximum power loss at rated current is the heat the breaker dumps into the enclosure; factor it into the thermal budget.
Integration and mounting
The breaker measures 140 mm wide, 181 mm tall, 86 mm deep — a standard SENTRON 3VA2 frame size. It mounts on a DIN rail or can be screw-fixed to a backplate. The 4-pole footprint matches the common 4-pole MCCB cutout; verify the busbar spacing if retrofitting into an existing panel. Factory-fitted auxiliary switches: 2 auxiliary + 1 trip alarm + 1 electrical alarm switch (HQ type), plus a shunt trip release (STL) for remote tripping. The auxiliary contacts are wired to the same terminal block; the shunt trip coil needs a separate control voltage — watch the polarity on the STL if using DC.
Approvals and documentation
As a SENTRON series MCCB, the 3VA2225-5HL42-0HL0 carries IEC 60947-2 certification by design. Compliance documentation (RoHS, REACH, UL listing per variant) is available from Siemens on request. The basic switch order code is 3VA2225-5HL42-0AA0; the -0HL0 suffix adds the auxiliary switch block and shunt trip.