Controlling Inrush Current for Large Transformers

Large transformers have a huge current demand when they are initially turned
on. This is because, until the magnetic field and inductive resistance builds, they
are essentially short circuits. For example, you may have turned on some large
tool or appliance and heard an initial large "HUMMMMMMM". That is the
transformer say "Ow". The circuit breaker for that outlet might also go "Whoa,
what are you doing!"

The transformer above (Avel Y236907 800VA 45V+45V Toroidal Transformer),

for example, will try to draw over 100 Amps on the first cycle of 60 Hz Power.

To keep a large transformer from being damaged at turn-on (and to keep it from
saying "ow"), or to keep a breaker from popping, you put in an inrush current
limiter circuit. This Instructable will detail how to do that.

Step 1:
The thing we are after is a way to limit the current initially at turn on, and then to
not limit current afterwards at all.

The circuit I use contains a thermistor, a relay, and some resistors, a capacitor
and a couple transistors.

Step 2:
A thermistor of the type used here is a temperature sensitive electronic device
that at low temperature, presents a resistance to a circuit. As temperatures rise,
it gradually becomes closer to a short circuit.

This particular one here is the Amtherm MS35 20010 and can be bought from
Digikey (570-1026-ND). Its nominal resistance is 20 ohms, and as temperature
rises, it drops to very low resistance.

Now you might say "Great, just put this baby in series with my AC input line and
I am done". In some cases you might be able to do this but the power amplifier I
am designing is a 200W per channel set up and, though the pyrotechnics might
be fun to some, being nominally averse to smoke and crispy electronic
components, as well as slightly paranoid, I decided to add a relay to the circuit.

In addition, when someone turns off a device that has been on for a while, the
thermistor will be very hot. If they then turn on the device immediately after
shutting it off, the thermistor will dutifully say "I'm hot and tired, and I am not
providing you any resistance". Your transformer will say "Ow" once again.

Step 3:

Here you see the thermistor in parallel with the relay (minus the relay control
circuitry). The relay I used is the Omron G5Q-1A4 DC12, available from Digikey
(Z223-ND).

When power turns on, all current flows through the thermistor. But if we put a
timing circuit in that closes the relay a few seconds after turn-on, the thermistor
would do its job limiting current initially. But the relay would then take it out of the
circuit by by providing an essentially zero resistance path through itself, and
around the thermistor. The thermistor will then say "Thank You", cool down or
just stay cool,and thus be ready for the next power turn on.
So how do we create that timed delay?

Step 4:

Here you see the timing circuit. The relay will be driven by transistors Q1 and
Q2. These transistors are configured in what is called a "Darlington pair" to be a
simple transistor switch. When they are off, the relay cannot turn on because no
current flows. When they are on, the relay closes.

Two transistors were used so that a very small amount of current at the base of
Q1 would be guaranteed to drive transistor Q2 into saturation, switching it on. A
side benefit of having 2 transistors is that the normal .65VDC from base to
emitter of the transistors becomes 1.3VDC now that there are two transistor base
to emitter junctions in the circuit.

For my purposes, I have 12 volts DC available in my amplifier, sourced through a

simple regulator circuit supplied from an independent low power transformer.

Resistor R1 and Capacitor C1 provide the timing delay. When power is turned
on, and the 12 VDC comes up, current flows through R1 to charge capacitor C1.
Over time, the voltage on the capacitor reaches the 1.3V or so needed for
transistor Q1 and Q2 to turn on.

When power is turned off, capacitor C1 drains to zero through R2 so the circuit is
ready for the next turn on. Care must be taken calculating the value of R2 - the
voltage divider of R1 and R2 must always allow for greater than 1.3VDC or else
the transistors will not turn on.

The DC voltage driving the timing circuit can be any voltage, including a DC
source generated from the output of the power transformer that we are
controlling the inrush current to. For example, if the output of the transformer was
36VAC, you could construct a simple zener diode DC source to drive the relay
and a timing circuit with different component values. You might want to simplify
your life by going to a 24VDC coil relay.

Step 5:
Here is the complete circuit. Once power is turned on, the 12 VDC supply
enables the timing circuit to act, eventually turning on transistor Q2, enabling
current to flow from the 12VDC source through the relay and down through the
transistor to ground, shorting out the thermistor. (The diode on the relay is there
simply to prevent large voltages that can happen when a relay drops out from
damaging any devices).

The delay this circuit injects is 2-5 seconds, depending heavily on the value of
C1. Electrolytic capacitors have very wide tolerances (such as +10% and minus
40%) so they are not useful for precise timing circuits but certainly useful
here. You should always just experiment with components to insure you get the
right delay.