The Siemens SENTRON 3VA9988-0AB13 is a tripped signaling switch (changeover contacts, type HQ) designed as an electronic accessory for 3VA1 and 3VA20 up to 3VA25 molded-case circuit breakers. It mounts directly into the breaker's accessory slot, occupying a single 7 mm module width — no additional DIN-rail space needed. The switch provides remote indication of the breaker's tripped state via a set of changeover contacts rated at 0.3 A.
Contact ratings and what they mean for your control circuit
The changeover contacts are rated 0.3 A across AC-12 and AC-15 utilization categories at both 12 V and 24 V, and 0.1 A in DC-12 at the same voltages. For DC-13 (solenoid/relay loads with significant inductance), the rating drops to 0.07 A at 12 V and 24 V. The minimum operating voltage at DC is 24 V. These are signal-level ratings — this switch is meant to drive a PLC input, a status lamp, or a remote annunciator, not a power load. The 4 kV surge voltage resistance (overvoltage category III, pollution degree 3) means it's rated for industrial panel environments where transients are common.
Physical fit and panel integration
Dimensions are 7 mm wide × 56 mm high × 30 mm deep. The 7 mm width corresponds to a single modular unit on a 3VA breaker's accessory slot — it clips into the designated compartment on the left or right side of the breaker, depending on the frame size. The stripped length for wiring is 15 mm (0.6 in). This is a snap-in accessory, not a DIN-rail mounted device; it becomes part of the breaker assembly.