The Siemens SENTRON 3VA2340-6HL32-0BC0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for line protection, carrying a continuous current of 400 A at 40 °C. Its interrupting capacity is 242 kA at 240 V and 187 kA at 415 V, which covers most industrial service-entrance and feeder applications where high fault current is expected.
Interrupting and thermal performance
The 242 kA interrupting rating at 240 V means this breaker can clear a bolted fault at that voltage without catastrophic failure — critical for switchboards close to the utility transformer. At 415 V it still holds 187 kA, and at 690 V the rating drops to 7.5 kA, so confirm the available fault current at your system voltage before specifying. The thermal derating curve is flat from 40 °C to 50 °C at 400 A, then steps down: 385 A at 55 °C, 370 A at 60 °C, 355 A at 65 °C, and 340 A at 70 °C. If the panel ambient runs above 50 °C, you lose 15 A per 5 °C increment.
Auxiliaries and integration
This variant ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) and two auxiliary switches (HQ design) pre-installed. The UVR trips the breaker when control voltage drops below a threshold — standard for emergency-stop chains or undervoltage protection on motor feeders. No ground-fault monitoring or communication module on this order code; those are separate add-on accessories. The basic switch variant is 3VA2340-6HL32-0AA0, which omits the UVR and aux switches.
Physical fit
Dimensions are 248 mm high, 138 mm wide, 110 mm deep. That 138 mm width is a 3-pole MCCB footprint — verify the mounting base and door cutout against your existing panel layout, especially if replacing a different brand or series. The depth of 110 mm includes the arc chamber and terminals; allow clearance for cable bending radius behind the panel.