What the switching ratings mean for the panel
The 3VA9988-0AB12: The contact block carries a 6 A thermal continuous rating. That's the maximum steady current through the signal circuit — sized for typical 24 VDC PLC inputs drawing 10–20 mA, so there's ample headroom. The real selection driver is the switching capacity under load: at AC-15 (solenoid/contactor control) it's rated 3 A at 24 V and 3 A at 125 V, which covers most pilot-duty applications. For DC inductive loads (DC-13), the rating drops to 0.8 A at 24 V and 0.1 A at 250 V — that's the number to watch if you're switching DC contactor coils or relay coils directly. The 4 kV surge voltage resistance and overvoltage category III mean it's designed for the distribution side of the panel, not just control-circuit isolation.
Mounting and integration
This switch clips into the accessory slot on the left side of the 3VA breaker body — no DIN rail space consumed, no additional wiring duct required. The 7 mm width and 30 mm depth mean it stays within the breaker's own envelope. Stripped length is 15 mm (0.6 in) for the screw terminals. Pollution degree 3 means it's rated for conductive pollution environments typical of industrial control panels — no conformal coating needed for most installations.