What the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens SENTRON 5SY4613-7 is a 4-pole miniature circuit breaker (3P+N) with a C tripping characteristic, rated 13 A at AC. The C-curve means it trips between 5 and 10 times rated current — standard for general-purpose loads like small motors, lighting banks, and control transformers where moderate inrush is expected. The 10 kA breaking capacity per EN 60898 covers most sub-distribution applications; the 20 kA rating per IEC 60947-2 applies when the breaker is used in industrial panels where higher prospective fault currents are possible. The 4-module-width footprint (72 mm wide) occupies four 18 mm DIN-rail positions — plan your enclosure fill accordingly. This breaker switches the neutral conductor (3P+N), so it opens all live conductors on a fault — required in many European and IEC-based installations where the neutral is not bonded to ground downstream. The combined terminal design at both top and bottom accepts a range of conductor sizes and busbar comb profiles, simplifying panel wiring.
Derating and environmental limits
The 13 A rating is at 35 °C ambient. At 40 °C it derates to 12.38 A, at 50 °C to 11.73 A, and at 60 °C to 11.02 A — a roughly 15% drop from the nameplate at the top end of the operating range. If your panel runs hot (enclosed switchgear, adjacent heat sources), size the upstream protection for the derated value, not the 35 °C figure. The breaker is rated for pollution degree 3 (conductive pollution or dry non-conductive pollution that becomes conductive due to condensation), which is typical for industrial control panels without climate control. Ambient temperature range spans -40 °C to 75 °C, with humidity limits of 95% up to 55 °C, 55% up to 70 °C, and 35% up to 75 °C. The IP20 rating (with connected conductors) means it is protected against solid objects larger than 12 mm but not against moisture — mount inside a sealed enclosure in wet or washdown areas.
Standards and compliance
The breaker is certified to IEC / EN 60898-1 (the standard for household and similar installations) and IEC / EN 60947-2 (the industrial standard for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear), plus UL 1077 for supplementary protection in North American panels. Overvoltage category III (fixed installation) and energy limitation class 3 apply. The housing is halogen-free and silicon-free — relevant for installations where outgassing or silicone contamination must be avoided, such as near sensitive contacts or in clean-room adjacent spaces.