What the 400 A rating means for your panel
The Siemens 3VA2340-6HL32-0KC0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 400 A continuous current at 40 °C, with no derating needed up to 50 °C — it holds full 400 A through that range. Above 50 °C it steps down: 385 A at 55 °C, 370 A at 60 °C, 355 A at 65 °C, and 340 A at 70 °C. That means for a 400 A feeder in a 40 °C panel environment, this breaker delivers its nameplate without thermal headroom loss; only if your enclosure runs hot (above 50 °C) do you need to account for the reduction.
Interrupting capacity — where it fits in the fault-current hierarchy
This MCCB carries 242 kA at 240 V, 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 7.5 kA at 690 V. The 242 kA figure at 240 V puts it in the high-interrupting tier for low-voltage distribution — suitable for main service-entrance positions or large sub-feeders where available fault current is high. At 690 V the 7.5 kA rating is modest; this breaker is not the primary choice for 690 V applications with significant fault potential. The 187 kA at 415 V covers most industrial 400 V-class switchboards.
Line protection design with integrated shunt trip
The 3VA2340-6HL32-0KC0 is configured for line protection (cable/feeder protection) rather than motor or generator protection. It includes a factory-fitted shunt trip release (STL) for remote tripping, plus two auxiliary switches (HQ) for status feedback to a PLC or SCADA. The undervoltage release is not present on this variant. No communication module or ground-fault monitoring is built in — those would need a different order-code suffix.
Physical fit and mounting
Dimensions are 248 mm high, 138 mm wide, 110 mm deep. It is a 3-pole unit designed for panel mounting — no DIN-rail clip; it bolts into a switchboard or enclosure. The depth of 110 mm (4.33 in) is compact for a 400 A MCCB, which helps in shallow backpanels. Width of 138 mm (5.43 in) matches the standard SENTRON 3VA2 frame footprint.