Siemens 3VA2225-7HL32-0HL0 — SENTRON MCCB, 250 A, Line Protection
The Siemens 3VA2225-7HL32-0HL0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 250 A continuous current (Iu) in a 3-pole configuration, designed for line protection duty. Its ETU320 electronic trip unit provides adjustable overload and short-circuit protection curves, and the breaker includes a shunt trip (STL) release for remote tripping. The auxiliary contact block is populated with 2 auxiliary switches, 1 trip alarm switch, and 1 electrical alarm switch (HQ version), giving the panel builder a full set of status signals back to the PLC or SCADA. Breaking capacity is specified across multiple voltage levels: 330 kA at 240 V, 242 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 187 kA at 500 V, and 6.3 kA at 690 V. These figures place it in the high-interrupting-capacity class for industrial distribution — it clears severe fault currents without cascading to upstream protective devices. The rated insulation voltage (Ui) is 800 V, confirming suitability for 690 V systems with margin. Thermal derating is published from 40 °C through 70 °C: the breaker carries the full 250 A up to 50 °C, then derates to 241 A at 55 °C, 232 A at 60 °C, 222 A at 65 °C, and 213 A at 70 °C. For a panel with an ambient above 50 °C, the actual continuous current capability drops — factor this into the load schedule rather than relying on the und derated nameplate.
Integration & Mounting
Physical footprint is 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, and 86 mm deep. The MCCB mounts on a DIN rail or can be screw-fixed to a backplate. The 3-pole unit occupies a standard 105 mm width slot in a panel layout — verify the existing busbar and cable lug spacing against the terminal centers before committing the BOM. Maximum power loss is 48 W at rated current. In a sealed enclosure with multiple breakers, this heat must be factored into the thermal management — forced ventilation or a larger enclosure may be required to stay within the 70 °C maximum operating ambient.
Trip Unit & Auxiliary Functions
The ETU320 trip unit is a microprocessor-based electronic release with adjustable long-time, short-time, instantaneous, and ground-fault protection (though this variant ships without ground-fault monitoring). The shunt trip (STL) release allows remote opening via a control voltage — useful for emergency-stop circuits or interlocking with upstream breakers. A voltage trigger is present, and the trip indicator provides local mechanical flag indication of a trip event. Mechanical endurance is rated at 20,000 operations. The operating temperature range spans -25 °C to +70 °C, with storage limits from -40 °C to +80 °C. No communication function or phase failure detection is integrated — this is a standalone protection device, not a networked power meter.