When a transformer is first energized, a transient current up to 10 to 15 times larger than the

rated transformer current can flow for several cycles. Toroidal transformers, using less copper
for the same power handling, can have up to 60 times inrush to running current. Worst-case
inrush happens when the primary winding is connected at an instant around the zero crossing of
the primary voltage (which for a pure inductance would be the current maximum in the AC
cycle) and if the polarity of the voltage half-cycle has the same polarity as the remanence in the
iron core has (the magnetic remanence was left high from a preceding half cycle). Unless the
windings and core are sized to normally never exceed 50% of saturation (and in an efficient
transformer they never are, such a construction would be overly heavy and inefficient), then
during such a start-up the core will be saturated. This can also be expressed as the remnant
magnetism in normal operation is nearly as high as the saturation magnetism at the "knee" of the
hysteresis loop. Once the core saturates, however, the winding inductance appears greatly
reduced, and only the resistance of the primary-side windings and the impedance of the power
line are limiting the current. As saturation occurs for part half-cycles only, harmonic-rich
waveforms can be generated and can cause problems to other equipment. For large transformers
with low winding resistance and high inductance, these inrush currents can last for several
seconds until the transient has died away (decay time proportional to XL/R) and the regular AC
equilibrium is established. To avoid magnetic inrush, only for transformers with an air gap in the
core, the inductive load needs to be synchronously connected near a supply voltage peak, in
contrast with the zero-voltage switching, which is desirable to minimize sharp-edged current
transients with resistive loads such as high-power heaters. But for toroidal transformers only a
premagnetising procedure before switching on allows to start those transformers without any
inrush-current peak.

An example of an inrush current transient during a 100 VA toroid transformer energization.

Inrush peak around 50 times of nominal current

Inrush current can be divided in three categories:

Energization inrush current result of re-energization of transformer. The residual flux

in this case can be zero or depending on energization timing.
Recovery inrush current flow when transformer voltage is restored after having been
reduced by system disturbance.
Sympathetic inrush current flow when multiple transformer connected in same line and
one of them energized.