What it is and what it does
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-6HL32-0AD0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 250 A continuous current, designed for line protection in industrial distribution panels. At 240 V it interrupts fault currents up to 242 kA, dropping to 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 4.5 kA at 690 V — the voltage-dependent breaking capacity means you size the SCCR for the actual line voltage, not the highest number on the label.
Thermal derating and continuous current
The 250 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C ambient. Above that it derates: 241 A at 55 °C, 232 A at 60 °C, 222 A at 65 °C, and 213 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs hot — say a non-climate-controlled enclosure near a furnace line — the 70 °C figure is the one to budget for, not the nameplate 250 A.
Panel fit and mounting
The breaker footprint is 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, and 86 mm deep. That 86 mm depth is the dimension to check against gland-plate clearance or back-panel wiring troughs — it's the dimension that usually surprises a panel builder who only checked the width against the DIN-rail pitch. Maximum power loss is 48 W, which feeds the enclosure thermal budget for vent sizing or forced-air calcs.
Configuration and accessories
This variant ships without undervoltage release, ground-fault monitoring, communication module, or voltage trip indicator. It comes fitted with three auxiliary switches (HQ type) and no auxiliary release. The basic switch is order code 3VA2225-6HL32-0AA0. If your BOM calls for shunt trip or ground-fault alarm, this isn't the variant — you'd step to a -5HN42 or -5JP32 suffix.