What you're looking at
This is a Siemens SENTRON 3VA2340-6JP32-0DH0 molded case circuit breaker — 3-pole, 400 A continuous, line-protection design. The 242 kA interrupting capacity at 240 V means it handles serious fault currents without cascading upstream; at 415 V and 440 V it still holds 187 kA, and at 500 V it's 121 kA. The 690 V rating drops to 7.5 kA — that's the voltage limit for this frame. It ships with an undervoltage release (UVR) and a 2-auxiliary-switch + 1-trip-alarm-switch block. The UVR means the breaker drops if control voltage falls below the dropout threshold — standard for emergency-stop or safety circuits that need a guaranteed open on power loss. No ground-fault monitoring on this variant.
Thermal derating and panel fit
Rated 400 A continuous up to 50 °C ambient. At 55 °C it derates to 375 A, at 60 °C to 350 A, at 65 °C to 325 A, and at 70 °C to 300 A. If your panel runs hot — say a packed enclosure near a furnace line — that 300 A at 70 °C is the number to spec against, not the 400 A nameplate. Operating range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage from -40 °C to 80 °C. Dimensions: 248 mm high, 138 mm wide, 110 mm deep. That 110 mm depth is the key for shallow backpanels or gland-plate clearance — it's a standard 4.33 inches, so it fits most DIN-rail or bolt-on mounting plates without a depth overhang. Power loss at full load is 98.5 W — plan for that heat in the enclosure thermal budget.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
Sourced through independent distribution channels. Quoted to order against an RFQ — availability and current pricing confirmed at quote time. For volume or blanket orders, the 400 A frame and the 242 kA rating are the specs that lock the BOM line; no substitution risk on this active code.
What the ratings mean for your panel
The 242 kA at 240 V is the headline — that's the SCCR (short-circuit current rating) for a 240 V system, typical for North American commercial and light industrial panels. At 415 V (common in European and Asian 400 V-class systems) it's 187 kA. If your system runs at 690 V, the 7.5 kA limit means this breaker is not the right choice for high-voltage feeders — you'd need a different frame or a fused disconnect upstream. The communication function means it can interface with a bus system for remote monitoring or trip indication — not just a dumb breaker. The trip indicator gives local visual confirmation of a fault trip, which saves chasing false alarms on a line-down event.