In my business I come across old German equipment with 3-phase induction
motors that are connected in Y-configuration to start and within a few
seconds switched to delta for running. This is done, I'm told, to lessen the
inrush current at switch-on.

Typically the motors have 3 independently-wound windings with 6 connections,
both ends of each winding are brought out to the terminal block.

I'd like to understand a little more about why this works. Is it as simple as
the fact that between 2 supply phase connections in the Y configuration there
are 2 windings and in delta there's only 1? (The Y configuration's common
point is not connected to ground or neutral.)

Thanks,
--
Al, the usual

Usual Suspect wrote:
In my business I come across old German equipment with 3-phase induction
motors that are connected in Y-configuration to start and within a few
seconds switched to delta for running. This is done, I'm told, to lessen the
inrush current at switch-on.

Typically the motors have 3 independently-wound windings with 6 connections,
both ends of each winding are brought out to the terminal block.

I'd like to understand a little more about why this works. Is it as simple as
the fact that between 2 supply phase connections in the Y configuration there
are 2 windings and in delta there's only 1? (The Y configuration's common
point is not connected to ground or neutral.)

You have it, except that there is a phase angle between the
windings, so they do not share the total voltage as if they
were two independent inductors. Instead of the volts per
turn dropping by half, it drops by a factor of 1/square root
of 3.
http://www.usmotors.com/Service/Bull...sue7-May03.pdf

Thanks, John. Much clearer now. Good reference.
--
Al, the usual