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Why does induction motor draw heavy current at starting?

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48 Answers

Chetan Dhondekar, Marine Engineer

Answered December 5, 2016

Starting Current in Induction Motor:

Starting current of induction motor is as high as 5 to 7 times the normal full load current. Therefore
different starting of induction motor, methods such as (star delta starter, auto transformer starter and
other starting methods) are employed in order to reduce the high starting currents of induction motor.

Why High Starting Currents:

Induction motor can be compared to an electrical transformer with the secondary short circuited. Primary
winding of the transformer can be compared to the stator winding of the induction motor and the rotor
winding is considered as the short circuited secondary winding of the transformer.

Induction motor circuit model is shown in the figure. From the model of Induction motor we can observe
that induction motor

consists of two branch circuits which are in parallel

Magnetizing component circuit

Resistance and reactance circuit.

Magnetizing component of current flowing through induction motor is proportional to the applied voltage
and is independent of load on the motor similar to transformer
Resistance and leakage reactance circuit consist of resistance and leakage reactance of stator and rotor
of induction motor connected in series. A load resistance (variable) is connected in series to the fixed rotor
and stator impedance. During starting of the motor, slip will be one. Therefore if we calculate the total
impedance offered (stator and rotor impedance) to the inrush currents during starting of induction motor
which is minimum resulting in high inrush currents during starting of the motor
When 3 phase voltage applied across the stator winding for starting of induction motor, high inrush
currents magnetize the air gap between the stator and rotor. An induces emf is generated in the rotor
windings of the induction motor because of the rotating magnetic field. This induced emf produces
electrical current in rotor windings. Current generated in the rotor windings produces a field which in turn
produces torque to rotate the motor. Once the rotor starts picking up the speed, current drawn by the
machine decreases. The time required for staring of the motor depends on the time required for the
acceleration which depends on the nature of the connected load.
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Arumugam Shanmugam, Visiting Professor at COEWET PSG Tech (2015-present)

Answered September 27, 2018

Imagine a transformer with primary as stator winding and secondary on the rotor. In a squirrel cage
induction motor the secondary winding is a shortcircuited winding.

When the rotor is stationary ( before starting to run) emf induced in the secondary winding due to
electromagnetic induction by the alternating magnetic field set up the AC current flowing in the stator coil.

Since the secondary is short circuited it draws heavy current which is reflected on the primary side.
According to Lenz law the rotor reacts to reduce the current by rotating which reduces the rate of change
of magnetic field . As the speed of rotation is picking up the emf induced on the rotor reduces and also the
short circuit current. When the rotor attains the speed nearer to the synchronous speed the rate of change
of flux is minimum on the rotor and hence the rotor emf is reduced and also currentin rotor winding.

What ever power that is required to overcome rotational inertia and to meet the friction and windage
losses that much power is utilised by the rotor which is reflected on the primary winding (stator ) and the
stator draws the power from the input.

When you mechanically load the shaft of motor the speed of the rotor is reduced and rotor emf increases
drawing more current.

If you understand this then you can answer why during start the induction motor draws heavy current.
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Arpan Hota, Researcher on electric motor drives

Answered March 16, 2018

Originally Answered: In an induction motor, why is starting current (no load current) very high?
For any motor to start first the motor has to setup the flux and gain enough kinetic energy to keep up
rotating.

When you the motor is rotating at steady state it is only drawing power equal to overcome the load torque
at the speed at which it is rotating. However, during starting it also has to accelerate. If we choose a very
fast acceleration profile then the motor has to gain energy very fast. This why the current drawn is high.
Moreover, to set up the flux the value of increases further.

These two reason makes the starting current high.

Another argument can be made that during starting the speed is low so the speed emf similar to the back
emf in the dc machine is also low. If the speed emf is low the whole voltage is applied across the winding
resistance and inductance. Hence the current becomes very high. However, with the increase of the speed
the speed emf builds up and it reduces the effective voltage applied across the winding resistance and
inductance.
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Other Answers

Vivek Choubey ( ववेक चौबे), Graduate Electrical Engineer

Updated March 25, 2017

Originally Answered: why starting current of induction motor is high?

An induction motor during start behaves like a short circuited transformer. The stator of the I.M. is the
primary where supply is given whereas rotor is the secondary where current flows due to magnetic
induction called Transformer Action.

Now, when supply is given to the stator windings, it draws high current at constant voltage as the windings
are short circuited. This high current through the stator turns generate magnetic field which links with the
rotor conductors. As the windings are distributive, the rotor begins rotation to oppose the air gap flux.
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C.S. Reddy, Engineer

Answered March 11, 2017

1. During the start the rotor is stationary and behaves like a short for the induced voltage. the
current flows in the distributed winding of the rotor . The voltage induced in rotor cause the
current to be heavy as the rotor coils are shorted. This current induces rotary magnetic field due
to distributed rotor coils. This magnetic field opposes the rotating Stator magnetic field. The
relative motion of the both magnetic field causes the reduced voltage induction and there by
reduced current drawn by the motor after its pick of speed.

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Mariselvam Arumuga, M.E. Power Systems Engineering (2014-2016)

Answered July 12, 2017

Any coil, when excited by AC supply, will draw a heavy current at the instant of switching, the magnitude
being limited by the resistance of the coil. The simple reason being there is no current before switching,
and so no flux, and so no change in flux, and so no induced emf to oppose the change in flux. Hence, there
will be heavy current at the instant of switching.

For machines of smaller rating, the starting current may not be too heavy. Usually, some kind of starting
method is employed to apply the voltage incrementally. For example, an autotransformer is used to
energise the transformers & induction motors in the Electrical Machines Laboratory rather than connecting
to the supply terminals directly.

Also, for the same reason, a 3-point or 4-point starter is used for starting a DC motor.
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Balaji Lakshminarayanan, Ph.D High Voltage Engineering, National Institute of Technology

Karnataka, Surathkal
Answered January 12, 2017

Good question. Keep asking questions like these to learn a lot.

If you take a look at the equivalent circuit of an induction motor you will find the rotor resistance to be R'/s
and the rotor reactance to be X' ( the parameters are referred to the primary )
Impedance Z= R'/s + jX'

So at starting slip =1, which means the rotor impedance will be Zstart = R'/1 + X' = R'+ jX'

When the machine is running the slip would be less than 1 which means s< 1

So at the running period, the impedence will be

Zrun= R'/s + jX'

Now since the slip is less than 1, the effective impedence has now increased.

Which means Zstart< Zrun

Since the starting impedence is less than the impedence when in running period.

The current drawn will be greater at the time of start.( I inversely proportional to Z)

Hope I have answered your question.

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Kevin Baker, 31 years experience EE, licensed PE since 1996.

Updated May 14

Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor high?

Consider the construction of an induction motor. It consists of multiple turns of conductor wrapped
around an iron laminated core (the stator) and the rotor consists of bars of copper or aluminum arranged
like a hamster exercise wheel with the rings at each end welded onto the bars, and this in turn is all
wrapped around a laminated iron core.

It’s a transformer. There are X number of turns on the primary (the stator) and one turn on the secondary
(the rotor), and the secondary is short-circuited.

So when you connect power to the primary, the only limiting factor to the amount of current drawn by the
primary winding - the stator - is the impedance of that transformer, which is pretty damned small.

What few people think about is the current in the rotor is X * the current in the stator windings because of
that X:1 turn-to-turn ratio. And, while the rotor resistance is tiny, the resulting I²R heating isn’t. That’s why
induction motors have “starts per hour” limitations.

Once the rotor starts turning though, the magnetic field of the rotor cutting through the stator windings
starts generating back-EMF and the impedance of the system starts climbing.
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Carmel Pule', former Diagnostician.Industrial consultant. (1956-2016)

Updated November 17, 2019

The induction motor may be regarded as a Transformer with a primary coil and a secondary coil loaded
with a load that changes its impedance. The secondary coil is normally a one-turn coil. The impedance of
the load at the rotor is made up of low resistance R and low inductance L hence Z=(R+jwL) where w is the
frequency which changes with the rotation of the rotor till it becomes ZERO when the rotor reaches
synchronous speed.

When the rotor of an induction motor is stationary the current in the shorted conductive loops of the rotor
is very high as the resistance and the inductance is low while the effective frequency is that of the supply
frequency. This high current in the rotor will create its own magnetic field which opposes the main stator
magnetic field, this weakens the stator magnetic field so the back EMF in the stator will drop and the
supply voltage will be much higher than the stator back EMF and so the supply current increases to a high
value. Those are the starting conditions.

As far as impedance goes the rotor impedance is defined by Z=(R+jwL) were w, the frequency and this is
high at starting and as the rotor starts turning the frequency in the rotor will decrease till it is zero at
synchronous speed. So, in fact, the impedance in the rotor is decreasing as the rotor speed up.

The voltage induced in the rotor to push the current around in it, depends on the rate of change of flux AS
THE ROTOR SEES IT and so, the voltage induced in the rotor decreases as the rotor speeds up, where, if it
ever reaches synchronous speed, the frequency in the rotor becomes ZERO, as the rotor sees it, so there
will be no rate of change of flux at synchronous speed, as with respect to the rotor it is a CONSTANT field.
( or zero depending on where the rotor is with respect to the stator field.) So the reduction in current as the
rotor of an induction motor gathers speed is due to DECREASE IN INDUCED VOLTAGE IN THE ROTOR
which has a LOWER value of impedance than it started with.

So basically the transformer model we used, which has its secondary coil as the rotor running at higher
speeds, this changes to a very LOW induced voltage in the rotor, whose impedance has lost its inductive
REACTANCE due to a lower frequency and the secondary of the transformer is basically only the
resistance of the rotor short-circuited aluminium loops. which means a good power factor, unlike the
starting conditions where though there was a heavy current, the TORQUE was very low due to the inductive
effect of the rotor circuit operating at the highest frequency that could occur in the rotor of the induction
motor.

Additional and revised explanation.

I believe many of the answers given needs some revision. This is what actually happens in a logical
sequence form.

1. The supply to the stator produces a rotating field.

2. The rotating field will cut the bars in the rotor which produces a large rotor voltage. The short-circuited
bars have an impedance of R+jwL and since the slip is high then w is fairly high but not too high and with
the high induced voltage, a large current will form in the rotor.
3. The large current in the rotor will create a rotating magnetic field which OPPOSES that created by the
stator and since the back emf in the stator coils decrease than the starting current at the stator input is
very high.

4. NOW BECAUSE THE ROTOR HAS A RESISTOR THE CURRENT IN THE ROTOR IS NOT AT 90 DEGREES TO
THE VOLTAGE INDUCED AND SO IT HAS A POWER COMPONENT AND NOT ONLY A REACTIVE ONE. It is
the resistive part of the rotor which will create the power component which will create torque in the rotor to
make it go around.

5. When the rotor increases speed to nearly synchronous speed ( note nearly ) THE RATE OF CHANGE OF
FLUX WILL DECREASE BECAUSE OF THE SLIP DECREASING and to the induced voltage in the rotor will
decrease. At the same time, the impedance of the rotor R+jwL will DECREASE because w the slip
frequency has decreased and will become zero at synchronous speed, the lower current in the rotor is not
due to an increase of impedance, as, in fact, the rotor impedance decreases not increases, but the rotor
current is reduced DUE TO A LOWER INDUCED VOLTAGE AT THE ROTOR.

6 At a higher speed, the lower current in the rotor due to lower induced voltage in the bars of the rotor will
increase the rate of change of the magnetic field in the stator and so the higher back EMF in the stator coil
will oppose the supply voltage and the current will drop to normal running value.

Nota bene. If the rotor was purely INDUCTIVE with no resistive component THE INDUCTION MOTOR WILL
NEVER START as the current in the rotor will be in quadrature with the induced voltage and there will not
be a bit of power transmitted to the rotor as P= IV. Power Factor and power factor is zero if the resistor in
the rotor is zero. The induction motor is a beautiful elegant process which books do not explain very well.
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Supratim Biswas, Testing Department

Updated May 30, 2018

Lets talk about 3-phase induction motor .

The construction of the induction motor tells it…

There are two types of induction motors ..

1. Slip ring type

2. Squirrel cage type

Both of them has two sections ..

1. Stator ( Stationary part)

2. Rotor (Rotating part)

Stator is a cylindrical core made by ferromagnetic material with distributed winding on it. Three windings
are done having 120 degree phase with each other . Remember if you short any of this two winding then
motor winding will burn…The stator slots are done very carefully according to those slots the winding is
placed. hydrogen cooling is done in the winding very carefully…

[Image source :-Google images ]

Now rotating part of the machine is electromagnetically connected with the stator . It is shorted path for
slip ring motor the armature winding ( rotor winding) is placed below the rings and back EMF is connected
from slip rings. for three phase slip ring motor three slip rigs are connected in the shaft . the distributive
windings of each phases are connected with there individual slip rings. each windings are shorted with
there respective slip rings . During starting ( with out starter ) no resistance is provided by the stator thus
the short circuited rotor winding of the slip ring motors draw huge current such as 5–7 times of the full
load current .

[image source :- Google images]

Now in case of the squirrel cage type rotor ..

it is seen that rotor windings are shorted and there is no place to connect an external resistance . the back
EMF induced in the rotor winding is collected from the rotor terminal . The short circuited formation of the
rotor winding draws huge current at starting and develops huge load which makes the speed of the rotor
tends to zero and it opposes the rotational inertia of the shaft.

Induction motors are also called short circuited transformers ….

at starting condition the slip is also 1 …

The rotor resistance is given as R/S which will be minimum at S =1 due to that also rotor draws huge
current at starting it is the mathematical significance of the question ….

Thanks for reading !!!

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Amar Singh, works at Marine Engineers

Answered July 22, 2019

HIGH STARTING CURRENT IN INDUCTION MOTOR:

To understand this concept, first you need to understand that for a particular applied voltage, there is a
fixed amount of magnetic field density in the core (air gap).

Now, suppose a voltage is applied to the stator winding of a Induction Motor, it will create a particular
magnetic field density in the air gap. (same like in core, if compared to a transformer). At this time, since
rotor is at rest, the rate of cutting of flux will be maximum, thereby maximum EMF will be induced in the
rotor conductor.
This EMF will enable maximum current to flow in the rotor conductor. As a result of this, rotor will have its
own magnetic field and that too in opposite direction to that of stator flux.

This will reduce the magnetic flux density in the air gap. Now to maintain the constant flux density in the
air gap, the stator will draw a a higher current to maintain the flux density to the constant level as it was
initially, that corresponds to the input applied voltage.

This will cause a huge current to be drawn by the Induction Motor during stating. (Usually it draws 5–8
time the Full Load Current).

Now as the motor motor speeds up, the rate of cutting of flux will reduce(as slip decreases), resulting in
reduced induced emf in rotor. Hence less rotor opposing flux, that will lead to lesser current that is being
drawn from the source.

(same reason goes for the situation when loading factor is increased on the output shaft)
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Abhijit, B.E.E. Electrical Engineering, Jadavpur University (1977)

Answered July 10, 2018
Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor very high?
For easy understanding, let us take the case of a 3 phase squirrel cage induction motor.

Firstly, a brief recollection of how an induction motor operates. When 3 phase AC supply is given to the
stator winding, a magnetic field is created. This magnetic field rotates at synchronous frequency. The
squirrel cage rotor has thick bars as winding, which are connected to two shorting rings, one on each end.
Thus two adjacent bars connected to shorting rings on two ends of the bars can be thought of one coil.
When the rotor is stationery (or rotating at a speed less than that of the stator rotating magnetic field), the
rotating magnetic field cuts through the rotor bars at maximum relative speed. This produces an emf
proportional to the relative speed in the rotor bars forming coils (Faraday's law of electromagnetic
induction); and a current flows in the rotor coils. This current carrying rotor bars experience a force
because of being in the magnetic field of stator (Fleming's left hand rule). This force causes the rotor to
rotate.

Next, let us look at the induction motor as a transformer. The stator acts as the primary winding and the
rotor acts as the secondary winding, WHICH IS SHORT CIRCUITED by end rings. During starting, the rotor is
stationery and stator flux cuts the rotor bars at synchronous speed. This causes the maximum value of
emf to be induced in the rotor coils. With this maximum emf and almost zero resistance (actually
impedance) of rotor coils, a very large current flows in the rotor coils (secondary winding). Reflection of
this large current on primary (stator winding) is the so called high starting current of the induction motor.
As the rotor picks up speed, the difference between the speed of rotating magnetic field and speed of rotor
reduces. Hence, the speed at which the rotating magnetic field cuts the rotor bars also decreases and
lesser emf is induced in the rotor coils. The lesser induced emf in rotor coils causes lesser current in the
rotor coils. Consequently, the reflected current on the primary also reduces. This process is the running up
of the induction motor to its rated speed and the high starting current of about 600% gradually drops to
100% or less depending on the load on the motor.

Just imagin an extreme (and also impossible) situation for more clarity. What will happen if the rotor
catches up with the speed of the rotating magnetic field while speeding up? The stator rotating magnetic
field will not cut the rotor bars any more (because they are rotating at same speed and there is no relative
motion) and the induced emf in the rotor coils will be zero. EXACT OPPOSITE TO THIS HYPOTHETICAL
SITUATION HAPPENS AT THE BEGINNING OF STARTING OF AN INDUCTION MOTOR.
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Hedley Berge, Metering Technician (2017-present)

Answered April 23, 2017
Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor high?
The starting current of an induction motor is around 6 to 8 time the flu load current because at startup the
only resistance to current flow is the resistance of the windings. This is typically very low typically 4–6
ohms for a small (1hp) motor. As the motor builds speed it also build back emf which increases the
effective resistance (impedance) of the motor. This reduces the current to normal levels for the motor
once starting is complete and normal loaded running is acheived.
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S.K. Mani, former Vice President. at Reliance Industries Limited (1986-2004)

Answered March 16, 2018
Originally Answered: In an induction motor, why is starting current (no load current) very high?

You should be aware that the impedance determines the current At th start of electricity flow the
magnetic motive force is building up. As the virtual frequency builds up and approaches the
supply frequency the m.m.f is building and the current which was high will finally subsidise to the
steady state as the back e.m.f will set up along with the m.m.f. This also happens when you
charge a long transmission line as the capacitance between the the wires builds up.

If you see the wave form of in rush current in an oscilloscope. Inductance always lags as the lags
while capacitance leads. Till induct Continue Reading

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 Kevin Kobelt, Electrician training electricians (2011-present)
Answered July 29, 2018
Originally Answered: What causes inrush currents during the starting of an induction motor?
Electric motors are a generator when the rotor is turning because you have conductors rotating in a
magnetic field. The generated voltage opposes the applied voltage. Refer to Fleming’s right and left hand
rules below. When the rotor conductors are at rest or turning slowly there is no or little voltage being
generated. Less generated voltage opposing the applied voltage so more current flows. At full speed the
generated voltage is much higher opposing the applied
Continue voltage so less current flows. When the motor is
Reading
loaded the rotor slows down. Less back emf is generated and therefore more supply

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Sai Kumar Ambati

Answered March 15, 2018
Originally Answered: In an induction motor, why is starting current (no load current) very high?
Both of them are different topics( no load current and starting current) starting current in induction motor
is high because we know that load resistance in induction motor is R2(1/s -1) at starting slip is high i.e 1 .
As resistance is zero. current is very high. Next is noload current is high because of the airgap between
stator and rotor the magnetising current at no load is high.
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Phil Karn, former VP Technology at Qualcomm (1991-2011)

Answered December 3, 2018

Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor high?

For the same reason the starting current of any motor is high - there is no back EMF yet to oppose the
supply voltage, so the current is limited only by the resistance and inductance of the windings.

Here’s another way to look at it. The rotor of an induction motor consists of a closed conductive loop with
very low resistance to keep losses low. When it’s not turning, the motor looks just like a transformer with a
shorted secondary — which draws a lot of current.

Once the motor begins to start, the “slip” (theContinue

speed difference
Reading between the rotating field created by the
stator and the actual speed

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 Suresh, B.TECH Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2016)
Updated September 24, 2017
Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor high?
Induction motor is similar to transformer. The IM rotor bars are short circuited. The power is transferred
from primary to secondary in transformer and similarly stator to rotor in IM. But the the flux is travelled
through core in transformer which has low reluctance but for IM flux has to travel through air which has
high reluctance. The slip at starting of IM is 1. So impedance will be less at starting but when motor starts
rotation the slip decreases and impedance increases so starting current gradually decreases. Due to
rotation emf is developed in rotor conductors which opposes the change in flux and draws less current.
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Sudhakar Nyshadham, B.Tech(Electrical) from National Institute of Technology, Warangal

(1976)
Answered January 18, 2019
Originally Answered: Why induction motor draws 6-8 times it's rated current during starting and for what time?
With its Rotor at rest and Rated voltage applied to Stator Terminals i.e during Starting, Squirrel cage
Induction motors draw high current due to absence of back emf in Rotor (Somewhat Identical to charging
a power Transformer with Short circuited Secondary winding ), Due to rotating Magneto motive force
(MMF) set up by magnetising component of starting current in Stator, back emf will be generated in Rotor
which will gradually bring down the rotor current ( thereby Stator current aswell). The High staring current
duration depends on factors which include Moment of Inertia of Rotor complete with connected load.
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John Gerig, EE
Answered May 23, 2017
Originally Answered: Inrush current occurs due to the high flux at the starting of a motor. Why is the flux high at starting?
Many motors are in structure, and in some aspects of functioning, quite similar to >>generators<<. When
running freely at full speed, they "generate" a voltage which largely cancels out the applied voltage. When,
initially, a voltage is applied, the motor is >>not<< turning, that cancelling out voltage is not being
generated, and the resulting current is just the applied voltage divided by the "static" resistance (=locked
rotor resistance) of the motor.
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Sai Kiran, B.E Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Gujarat Technological University (2019)
Updated May 13, 2018
Originally Answered: Why do induction motors take such a large current to start?
Actually your question is wrong. Induction motors dont take large current to start but large current flows at
the starting.

This is because at the starting, back emf is zero as the speed at starting is very less. And resistance is too
very less so the the current taken from supply increases to a high value. The magnitude of the current is 5
to 6 times greater than the normal rated current.
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Harshita Vishwakarma, studied at Jabalpur Engineering College

Answered June 16, 2016
Originally Answered: why starting current of induction motor is high?
To understand this, have a look at equivalent model of induction motor, the rotor resistance is R/s,
therefore in the beginning s (slip) is highest (=1) therfore resistance is lowest hence current is maximum at
the beginning.
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Sivan Sharma
Answered April 23, 2017
Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor high?
To put it simply: because the windings are a short circuit until the electromagnetic field is established.

I hope someone else provides a better answer with graphs and stuff but here's my boring explanation :P

Induction motors operate on the principal of the electromagnetic field (or simply EMF). When you apply a
voltage and thus allow current to flow, the transfer of electrons generate their own magnetic fields. This is
true for all electrical conductors and it is known as inductance; the storage of energy in EMFs.
Continue Reading
A motor, however, is constructed in such a way to utilise these fields to do work
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Manish Kucheria, Bachelor of technology Studying, Swami Keshvanand Institute of

Technology, Management and Gramothan (2016)
Answered July 9, 2018
Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor very high?

Magnetizing component circuit

Resistance and reactance circuit

Magnetizing component of current flowing through induction motor is proportional to the applied voltage
and is independent of load on the motor similar to transformer .

Open in App
Continue Reading
1
Resistance and leakageAnswer
reactance circuit consist of resistanceNotifs
and leakage reactance of stator and rotor
Home
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Adibatla Pratik, Graduate Engineer Trainee at Maruti Suzuki India Limited (2018-present)
Answered September 22, 2017
Originally Answered: Why is the starting current of an induction motor high?
Three phase induction motors are similar to transformer but secondary short circuit edges in case of
squirrel cage IM. Since, rotor bars are shorted at the end with the help of end rings. When 3-ph AC supply
is given a rotating magnetic field is produced in the stator air gap which is linked to the rotor conductor,
according to Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction emf is produced in rotor bars hence current starts
flowing but since they are short circuit at the ends, huge amount of current flows in the rotor conductor
bars. Hence, we employ starting methods for IM to limit this current.
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