What the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens 3VA2225-8HL32-0DL0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 250 A continuous current — that's the current it carries without tripping under normal load at 40 °C ambient. The thermal derating curve is explicit: it holds 250 A up to 50 °C, then drops to 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, you need to size up or accept the lower continuous rating. Breaking capacity is the other headline: 440 kA at 240 V, 330 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 220 kA at 500 V, and 52.5 kA at 690 V. That's a high-interrupting rating — it clears severe faults without the arc re-striking, which matters for transformer-secondaries or large motor banks where fault current can hit those levels. The 3-pole design handles three-phase circuits, and the line-protection designation means it's configured for cable and busbar protection, not motor overload.
Auxiliaries and integration
This variant ships with a full auxiliary suite: two auxiliary switches, one trip alarm switch, and one electrical alarm switch (HQ type), plus an undervoltage release (UVR). The UVR trips the breaker when control voltage drops — standard for emergency-stop chains or undervoltage protection schemes. The basic switch is order code 3VA2225-8HL32-0AA0, so if you're replacing the switch element only, that's the spare part number. Dimensions are 105 mm wide, 181 mm high, 86 mm deep — a standard SENTRON 3VA frame size for this current class. It mounts on a DIN rail or panel-mount adapter; the 86 mm depth includes the arc chamber and terminals, so verify clearance behind the gland plate if you're retrofitting into a tight enclosure.