Siemens B340H Molded Case Circuit Breaker

Yes, Siemens acquired the ITE and Gould circuit breaker lines. The current Siemens B340H is the direct, manufacturer-approved replacement for legacy ITE and Gould B340H breakers.

The B340H is a bolt-on branch breaker designed specifically for use in Siemens P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 series panelboards.

The H denotes the high-interrupting BLH series. It provides a 22kAIC rating at 120/240VAC, which is higher than the standard 10kAIC rating found on base BL series (B340) breakers.

The factory lugs are rated for both copper and aluminum conductors. They accept 8 to 6 AWG copper (Cu) wire, or 8 to 4 AWG aluminum (Al) wire.

BLH series breakers use a standard 1-inch per pole width. As a 3-pole breaker, it requires 3 inches of unit space on the panelboard bus.

The B340H utilizes a bolt-on connection. This provides a secure, mechanically tight fit suitable for commercial or industrial applications where vibration or high mechanical stress may occur.

The fixed thermal magnetic unit provides Long-Time (L) and Instantaneous (I) trip functions. The thermal element protects against gradual overloads, while the magnetic element trips instantly during short circuits.

A 22kAIC rating ensures the breaker can safely interrupt up to 22,000 amps of fault current without catastrophic failure. This is often mandated by the NEC for commercial systems fed by transformers capable of delivering high available short-circuit currents.