Holding current (electronics)

The holding current (hypostatic) for electrical, electromagnetic, and electronic devices is the minimum current which must pass through a circuit in order for it to remain in the 'ON' state.

[1][2] The term can be applied to a single switch or to an entire device.

A simple example of holding current is in a Spark gap.

However, complex circuits and devices may have different delays built-in between the time the current falls below this level and the time the device turns 'OFF'.

Whether a device turns 'ON' when current is restored is a design issue.