One embodiment describes a method that includes, when a motor is disconnected from a power source: starting, using a control circuitry, a counter at a first voltage zero-crossing by either a source voltage or a back electromotive force generated by the motor; stopping, using the control circuitry, the counter at a next subsequent second voltage zero-crossing by either the source voltage or the back electromotive force; monitoring, using the control circuitry, a trend in counter values; and instructing, using the control circuitry, one or more switching devices to reconnect the power source to the motor after a local minimum in the counter value trend such that the source voltage is leading the back electromotive force.