What this 3VA2 frame carries
The Siemens 3VA2340-5JP32-0HL0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 400 A continuous current at 40 °C, 3-pole, built for line-protection duty. That 400 A holds steady all the way up to 50 °C without derating — at 55 °C it steps down to 375 A, and at 70 °C it's still good for 300 A. So if your panel runs hot near the motor starter lineup, you've got thermal headroom baked in. Interrupting capacity is what separates this frame from the smaller 3VA1 series: 187 kA at 240 V, 121 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 75.6 kA at 500 V, and still 7.5 kA at 690 V. That's a high-fault rating — means it handles upstream transformer faults without letting them cascade into the rest of the switchboard. The trip range spans 600 A minimum to 4 000 A maximum, so you've got a wide adjustable band for coordination studies. A trip indicator and voltage trigger are built in — both help the maintenance crew find the open pole fast during a line-down call.
What's wired into this variant
This order code ships with a shunt trip release (STL) and a full auxiliary switch complement: two auxiliary switches, one trip alarm switch, and one electrical alarm switch. That's the HQ configuration — you get status feedback for the breaker position AND the trip event, which matters when a PLC needs to know whether the breaker opened on command or on fault. The basic switch variant underneath is 3VA2340-5JP32-0AA0, so the frame and trip unit are the same; the -0HL0 suffix adds the communication function. That means this breaker can talk to a higher-level system — useful for energy monitoring or remote trip indication without pulling separate control wires back to the panel. No undervoltage release on this build, and no ground-fault monitoring version. If you need UVR or GF protection, you're looking at a different suffix.
Panel fit and environment
Dimensions are 248 mm tall, 138 mm wide, 110 mm deep — that's about 9.76 by 5.43 by 4.33 inches. It's a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for the 3VA2 frame, so it'll drop into most SENTRON distribution panels or standalone enclosures without re-drilling the backplate. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage handles -40 °C to 80 °C. That's a wide enough window for outdoor enclosures in most climates, as long as the cabinet isn't sitting in direct sun in Phoenix in July. Maximum power loss at rated current is 96 W — worth factoring into your enclosure heat budget if you're stacking several of these in a sealed panel.
Sourcing and lifecycle
We source this against an RFQ through our independent distribution network. Availability and current pricing are confirmed at quote time — drop us the order code and we'll come back with a firm number and lead time.