What this 3VA2 MCCB carries
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2225-8HL32-0JC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker rated for 250 A continuous current at 40 °C, designed for line protection in distribution panels and industrial switchgear. Its adjustable thermal-magnetic trip unit covers a 375 A minimum to 2 500 A maximum range, so you set the pickup to match the downstream load rather than swapping breaker frames. Breaking capacity reaches 440 kA at 240 V and holds 330 kA at 415 V and 440 V, dropping to 52.5 kA at 690 V — enough for high-fault utility feeds. This variant includes a factory-fitted shunt trip (STL) release and two auxiliary switches HQ, so it supports remote tripping and status feedback without adding external relay logic. The base switch is order code 3VA2225-8HL32-0AA0; the -0JC0 suffix adds the shunt trip and aux switches as a configured assembly.
Thermal derating and panel fit
The 250 A rating holds flat from 40 °C through 50 °C, then derates linearly: 241 A at 55 °C, 232 A at 60 °C, 222 A at 65 °C, and 213 A at 70 °C. If the breaker lives in a hot enclosure near transformers or drives, use the 55 °C or 60 °C column for your continuous-current budget. Maximum power loss is 48 W at rated load — that heat has to leave the cabinet. Physical footprint: 105 mm wide, 181 mm tall, 86 mm deep. The 105 mm width is three pole modules on a standard DIN rail. Depth of 86 mm leaves room for wiring gutters.