A system for precharging a DC bus circuit disposed between a multiphase input rectifier and an inverter of a power conversion system, comprising: a precharging circuit, including: a precharging resistance coupled between the DC bus circuit and only a single one of a plurality of AC input lines, the precharging comprising a first terminal coupled with the DC bus circuit and a second terminal, and a single precharging diode with an anode connected to the single one of the plurality of AC input lines, and a cathode connected to the second terminal of the precharging resistance; and a controller operative in a first mode when a DC bus voltage is less than a non-zero threshold to provide rectifier switching control signals to turn off a plurality of rectifier switching devices (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3) of the rectifier for precharging the DC bus circuit, and in a second mode when the DC bus voltage is greater than or equal to the non-zero threshold to provide the rectifier switching control signals to individually turn on given ones of the rectifier switching devices (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3) for at least a portion of AC input power cycles when a corresponding AC input line has a positive voltage to selectively provide a bypass path around the precharging resistance for normal load currents in the power conversion system, wherein the controller provides the rectifier switching control signals as pulse width modulated, PWM, pulse signals (52R, 52S, 52T) to individually turn on and off given ones of the rectifier switching devices (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3) for the portion of AC input power cycles when the corresponding AC input line has a positive voltage in the second mode. a precharging circuit, including: a precharging resistance coupled between the DC bus circuit and only a single one of a plurality of AC input lines, the precharging comprising a first terminal coupled with the DC bus circuit and a second terminal, and a single precharging diode with an anode connected to the single one of the plurality of AC input lines, and a cathode connected to the second terminal of the precharging resistance; and a precharging resistance coupled between the DC bus circuit and only a single one of a plurality of AC input lines, the precharging comprising a first terminal coupled with the DC bus circuit and a second terminal, and a single precharging diode with an anode connected to the single one of the plurality of AC input lines, and a cathode connected to the second terminal of the precharging resistance; and a controller operative in a first mode when a DC bus voltage is less than a non-zero threshold to provide rectifier switching control signals to turn off a plurality of rectifier switching devices (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3) of the rectifier for precharging the DC bus circuit, and in a second mode when the DC bus voltage is greater than or equal to the non-zero threshold to provide the rectifier switching control signals to individually turn on given ones of the rectifier switching devices (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3) for at least a portion of AC input power cycles when a corresponding AC input line has a positive voltage to selectively provide a bypass path around the precharging resistance for normal load currents in the power conversion system, wherein the controller provides the rectifier switching control signals as pulse width modulated, PWM, pulse signals (52R, 52S, 52T) to individually turn on and off given ones of the rectifier switching devices (SCR1, SCR2, SCR3) for the portion of AC input power cycles when the corresponding AC input line has a positive voltage in the second mode.