What this MCCB is and where it lands
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-5HL42-0JL0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker rated 250 A continuous at 40 °C, designed for line protection in distribution panels and motor control centers. It sits in the SENTRON family, which covers the compact to high-performance range of Siemens MCCBs. The 187 kA breaking capacity at 240 V means it can interrupt fault currents up to that level without upstream cascading — critical for high-fault installations like transformer secondaries or large motor banks.
Breaking capacity across voltages — the real-world read
Breaking capacity drops as voltage rises: 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 4.5 kA at 690 V is the weak point — if your system runs 690 V with high available fault current, this breaker may not clear a bolted fault. For 400 V class systems (common in European industrial panels), the 121 kA figure gives comfortable headroom for most transformer sizes up to 2 MVA.
Thermal derating — don't trust the nameplate alone
The 250 A rating holds up to 50 °C ambient. Above that, it derates linearly: 241 A at 55 °C, 232 A at 60 °C, 222 A at 65 °C, 213 A at 70 °C. If this breaker lives in a hot enclosure near drives or transformers, size the continuous load against the derated figure, not the 250 A sticker. Operating range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C.
Built-in auxiliaries and releases
This variant ships with a shunt trip release (STL) for remote tripping, plus 2 auxiliary switches, 1 trip alarm switch, and 1 electrical alarm switch (HQ design). That's enough status feedback for a PLC to know the breaker position and fault state without extra wiring. The undervoltage release is absent on this code — if you need UVR for safety circuits, this isn't the variant.
Panel fit — dimensions and mounting
Dimensions are 140 mm wide, 181 mm high, 86 mm deep. The 86 mm depth is the key number for enclosure depth — it fits standard 200 mm deep enclosures with room for wiring gutters. Four poles mean it occupies the full width of a typical 600 mm wide panel section; plan your bus bar takeoffs accordingly.