630 A MCCB with 242 kA interrupting capacity — the so-what for your panel
The Siemens 3VA2463-6JQ32-0DA0 is a 3-pole SENTRON molded case circuit breaker rated 630 A continuous at 40 °C, with a maximum breaking capacity of 242 kA at 240 V AC. That 242 kA figure at 240 V means it can safely interrupt a fault current up to that level without upstream fuses needing to clear first — critical for high-fault locations like utility tie-ins or large transformer secondaries. The ETU560 electronic trip unit gives you adjustable long-time, short-time, instantaneous, and ground-fault protection curves, plus a communication function for remote monitoring over a fieldbus. An undervoltage release is built in, so it drops the load on loss of control voltage — standard for emergency-stop or undervoltage protection schemes.
Breaking capacity across voltage levels — selectivity planning
Breaking capacity drops as voltage rises: 242 kA at 240 V, 187 kA at both 415 V and 440 V, 121 kA at 500 V, and 40 kA at 690 V. For a 480 V panel (common in North America) the 121 kA at 500 V gives you headroom above typical 65 kA or 100 kA SCCR requirements. At 690 V the 40 kA rating still covers most industrial distribution bus faults. The thermal derating curve is published: 630 A at 40 °C, stepping down to 450 A at 70 °C — so if this breaker lands in a hot enclosure near drives or transformers, size the continuous load against the ambient-adjusted value, not the 40 °C number.
Panel integration — DIN-rail footprint and wiring
Dimensions: 248 mm high, 138 mm wide, 110 mm deep. The 138 mm width is a standard 3-pole MCCB footprint for this SENTRON frame size — it clips onto a DIN rail or mounts with screws to a backplate. Power loss at full load is 164.5 W, so plan for ventilation or derating if the breaker is in a sealed enclosure with other heat sources. The undervoltage release wiring needs a separate control circuit; verify polarity on the UVR coil before energizing.
Environmental and storage limits
Operating temperature range is -25 °C to 70 °C; storage range extends from -40 °C to 80 °C. The 15 000 mechanical endurance cycles covers typical panel-switch applications.