What it is and what it does
The Siemens 3VA2440-6HL32-0HH0 is a SENTRON molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) designed for line protection in industrial power distribution. It carries a continuous current rating of 400 A across the full ambient range from 40 °C to 70 °C, with no derating needed up to the maximum operating temperature. The adjustable thermal-magnetic trip unit covers a wide band from 600 A minimum to 4800 A maximum, giving the integrator flexibility to match the breaker to the load without changing the frame. The 3-pole construction suits three-phase circuits in switchboards, motor control centers, and main distribution panels.
Breaking capacity and fault handling
Breaking capacity is 242 kA at 240 V AC, 187 kA at 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 9 kA at 690 V. At the common 415 V industrial level, 187 kA means this breaker can clear a high-fault bolted short without upstream fuses — useful for transformer-secondaries or bus-tie positions where available fault current is high. A trip indicator and voltage trigger are built in, so the breaker reports its state electrically. The auxiliary switch configuration — two auxiliary switches plus one trip alarm switch HQ — provides status feedback to a PLC or annunciator panel.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 138 mm wide, 248 mm high, and 110 mm deep. The 110 mm depth is shallow enough for a standard 400 mm deep enclosure with room for rear cabling. The width of 138 mm is the standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this current class — fits existing SENTRON mounting rails and busbar systems without adapter plates. Maximum power loss is 63.5 W, which should be factored into the enclosure thermal budget, especially in a multi-breaker lineup. Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range is -40 °C to 80 °C.
Lifecycle and sourcing
The base switch variant is 3VA2440-6HL32-0AA0; this order code adds a shunt trip release (STL) and the HQ auxiliary switch block. No undervoltage release or ground-fault monitoring is included, so those functions require external modules if needed.