What the ratings mean for your panel
The Siemens 5SL4216-8 is a 2-pole SENTRON miniature circuit breaker with a D tripping characteristic, rated 16 A at 400 V AC. The D-curve means it tolerates inrush currents 10–20 times the rated current — designed for loads with high starting surges like small motors, transformers, or discharge lighting. The 10 kA breaking capacity (per EN 60898 and IEC 60947-2) is the fault current it can safely interrupt; in a 400 V panel this covers most residential and light commercial service-entrance scenarios. At 40 °C ambient the continuous rating derates to 14.78 A, and at 55 °C to 12.74 A — so if the breaker shares a crowded enclosure, size the load for the thermal curve, not the 30 °C nameplate.
Deployment context and integration
The 5SL4216-8 snaps onto standard DIN rail (2 MW wide at 36 mm) and can be mounted in any position — useful when panel layout is tight. Depth is 76 mm with 70 mm installation depth behind the panel face. IP20 with connected conductors means it's protected against finger contact but not washdown; keep it inside an enclosure. The housing is halogen-free and silicon-free, which matters for environments where outgassing can contaminate sensitive contacts or optics.
Selectivity and coordination note
Energy limitation class 3 means this breaker limits let-through energy to a defined level, which aids selective coordination with downstream devices. Overvoltage category III and pollution degree 2 are standard for fixed-installation distribution boards. The sealable design allows the installer to lock the toggle position — useful for lockout/tagout on a dedicated circuit.