What this MCCB carries and where it fits
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2340-5HN42-0CA0 is a 4-pole molded case circuit breaker rated 400 A continuous current, designed for line protection in distribution panels. Its 187 kA breaking capacity at 240 V and 121 kA at 415 V give it headroom for high-fault installations like transformer secondaries or large motor control centers. The 400 A rating holds flat from 40 °C up to 50 °C, then derates linearly to 340 A at 70 °C — useful to know if the panel runs hot. This unit ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) fitted, so it drops the load if control voltage falls below the dropout threshold — a common requirement for safety circuits or emergency-stop chains. The basic switch supplied is 3VA2340-5HN42-0AA0; the auxiliary switch design is omitted, meaning no built-in aux contacts on the breaker body. Dimensions are 248 mm high, 184 mm wide, 110 mm deep — a standard 4-pole MCCB footprint for Siemens SENTRON 3VA frames. Panel builders should confirm the mounting hole pattern matches existing busbar or backplate cutouts before committing the BOM.
Breaking capacity by voltage — what it means for selectivity
The 3VA2340-5HN42-0CA0 delivers 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and 7.5 kA at 690 V. The steep drop at 690 V means this breaker is not the right choice for 690 V distribution with high fault current — a higher-rated frame or a fused switch would be needed. At 415 V, 121 kA covers most industrial secondary substations; at 240 V, 187 kA handles virtually any low-voltage fault.
Integration notes for the panel builder
Mounts in a standard distribution panel or MCC bucket. The 4-pole design occupies three phase conductors plus neutral. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C. Maximum power loss is 98.5 W — factor that into enclosure thermal calculations if the panel is densely packed. No communication function, no ground-fault monitoring module, and no trip indicator on this variant. If remote signaling or ground-fault protection is required, a different 3VA variant or an add-on module would be needed.