The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2325-5MN32-0HC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 250 A continuous current at 40 °C, with a breaking capacity of 187 kA at 240 V AC. It's configured as a motor protection device, fitted with an ETU350M electronic overcurrent release and a shunt trip (STL) auxiliary release. That 187 kA at 240 V means it can safely interrupt a fault current up to that level without upstream devices needing to clear it — useful for high-fault installations like large motor control centers or transformer secondaries.
Ratings and what they mean for the panel
Rated continuous current holds at 250 A from 40 °C up to 50 °C, then derates to 240 A at 55 °C, 235 A at 60 °C, 230 A at 65 °C, and 225 A at 70 °C. If your panel ambient runs above 50 °C, that derating curve is the one that governs the actual load you can hang on it — not the 250 A nameplate. Breaking capacity drops with voltage: 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 17 kA at 690 V. At 690 V the 17 kA figure still covers most industrial distribution, but if your fault current at that voltage exceeds it, you'll need a current-limiting upstream device or a higher-rated frame.
Protection and auxiliary features
The ETU350M trip unit provides adjustable overload and short-circuit protection with phase failure detection — that's a standard requirement for motor circuits where a lost phase can single-phase a motor and cook the winding. The shunt trip (STL) allows remote tripping from an emergency stop or PLC output. Two auxiliary switches (HQ version) give status feedback to the control system. No undervoltage release, no ground-fault monitoring, no communication module on this variant — it's a straightforward motor protection breaker, not a power-monitoring node.
Physical fit and integration
Dimensions are 248 mm high, 138 mm wide, 110 mm deep. That 138 mm width is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this frame size — it fits the same DIN-rail or panel-mount cutout as other SENTRON 3VA2 breakers. The 110 mm depth matters for shallow enclosures; check your gland plate clearance if the breaker is mounted near the back wall. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C, storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss is 37.5 W — factor that into your enclosure thermal budget if you're stacking several breakers side by side.