What this 250 A MCCB is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA2225-6HL32-0KL0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 250 A continuous current at 40 °C, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its 242 kA interrupting capacity at 240 V and 187 kA at 415 V means it can safely clear high-fault currents without upstream damage — critical for main or feeder breakers in industrial switchboards where SCCR compliance matters. The 3-pole frame carries a shunt trip (STL) release and a configurable auxiliary switch block: 2 auxiliary switches plus 1 trip alarm and 1 electrical alarm switch, giving the panel builder both status feedback and remote trip capability without adding external relays.
Breaking capacity and thermal derating — what the ratings mean for your panel
The headline 242 kA at 240 V and 187 kA at 415 V are the maximum short-circuit ratings at those voltages — the breaker will interrupt a fault up to that level without welding contacts or rupturing the case. At 500 V it still delivers 121 kA, and at 690 V it drops to 4.5 kA, so for 480 V or 600 V class systems the relevant figure is the 500 V row. The continuous current holds at 250 A from 40 °C through 50 °C ambient; above that it derates linearly to 213 A at 70 °C. If your panel runs hot (say 55 °C inside the enclosure), you lose 9 A — still 241 A available, but worth checking against your load. Maximum power loss of 48 W means the breaker dissipates that heat into the enclosure; factor it into your thermal budget if you're stacking multiple units.
Mounting and panel integration
Dimensions are 181 mm height, 105 mm width, 86 mm depth — a standard SENTRON 3VA2 frame footprint. It mounts via four screws to a backplate or DIN-rail adapter (not included). The 3-pole design means it occupies three module positions in a panel layout. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. No communication function or ground-fault monitoring on this variant — it's a straight line-protection breaker with shunt trip for remote opening.