What this 3VA2 carries and where it fits
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-5JP32-0JC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 250 A continuous current at 40 °C, with a trip unit adjustable from 375 A minimum to 2 500 A maximum. It breaks up to 187 kA at 240 VAC, 121 kA at 415/440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 4.5 kA at 690 V — so the interrupting capacity scales with system voltage. This is a line-protection design, not a motor-protection device; it is built for feeder and main distribution in switchboards and panelboards. The 86 mm depth, 105 mm width, and 181 mm height fit standard MCCB mounting footprints in enclosed distribution panels.
Thermal derating and ambient conditions
Continuous current holds at 250 A up to 50 °C, then drops to 238 A at 55 °C, 225 A at 60 °C, 213 A at 65 °C, and 200 A at 70 °C. That derating curve matters when the breaker is inside a sealed enclosure near other heat sources — it will handle the full 250 A only if the ambient stays at or below 50 °C. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. Power loss at full load is 48 W maximum, which should be factored into enclosure thermal calculations.
Integrated auxiliary and shunt-trip options
This order code includes a shunt trip (STL) auxiliary release and two auxiliary switches HQ, factory-fitted. The basic switch variant is 3VA2225-5JP32-0AA0. It also supports a communication function for remote monitoring or trip-event signaling — useful for integration with a BMS or SCADA system. There is no undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, and no trip indicator on this variant.