250 A MCCB for line protection — breaking capacity and thermal derating
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-5JP32-0KH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 250 A continuous at 40 °C, with a maximum breaking capacity of 187 kA at 240 V AC and 121 kA at both 415 V and 440 V. At 690 V the interrupting rating drops to 4.5 kA — the high short-circuit performance is concentrated at the lower distribution voltages where most industrial service-entrance and feeder applications sit. The breaker carries a thermal derating curve: it holds 250 A through 50 °C, then steps down to 238 A at 55 °C, 225 A at 60 °C, 213 A at 65 °C, and 200 A at 70 °C. That means in a warm panel or enclosure with limited airflow, the effective continuous current is lower than the nameplate — size your load and ambient together.
Built for selectivity and coordination in distribution panels
This MCCB is designed for line protection — the primary feeder or main breaker role in a distribution panel, not branch-circuit motor protection. It includes a shunt trip release (STL) for remote tripping and two auxiliary switches plus one trip alarm switch (HQ configuration) for status feedback to a PLC or building management system. A communication function is onboard, and a voltage trigger is present for undervoltage or overvoltage detection (though no undervoltage release is fitted as standard). The 86 mm depth, 105 mm width, and 181 mm height fit standard SENTRON mounting footprints; verify the back-panel cutout and bus-bar spacing against the existing panel layout.
Environmental and operating range
Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range extends from -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss is 48 W at rated load. The breaker includes a mechanical trip indicator for visual fault confirmation. The basic switch supplied is order code 3VA2225-5JP32-0AA0.