RL Current Ramp

Application

Use this circuit to see how an inductor slows current changes in relay coils, solenoids, and other inductive loads.

Design Context

A 5 V source drives R1 and L1 in series. The transient run starts with zero inductor current so the chart shows the current rising toward the resistor-limited value.

Expected Behavior

Iload rises exponentially toward about 0.5 A. Vl is largest at the start of the step and falls as current approaches steady state.

Key Values

• V1 is 5 V.
• R1 is 10 ohm.
• L1 is 10 mH.

Suggested Experiments

• Increase L1 and rerun the simulation to slow the current ramp.
• Increase R1 to reduce the final current.
• Compare Vin, Vl, and Iload during the first millisecond.

Featured Component

The inductor stores energy in its magnetic field and resists sudden current changes through the load branch.