Patent ID: 8373960

Claim:
A driving circuit for driving an AC contactor, comprising: a first switch connected in series with a winding of the AC contactor; a first diode reversely connected in parallel with the winding of the AC contactor for providing a discharging path for the winding of the AC contactor when the first switch is switched from ON state to OFF state; and a DC startup holding unit having an output terminal connected in series with the first switch and a detection terminal connected to a contact switch of the AC contactor for selectively converting a DC driving voltage into a first DC voltage or a second DC voltage according to a status of the first contact switch of the AC contactor; wherein when the AC contactor is not magnetized, the DC startup holding unit outputs the first DC voltage to allow the first DC voltage to be applied to the winding of the AC contactor through the first switch, thereby inducing a magnetic field, and wherein when the AC contactor is magnetized, the DC startup holding unit outputs the second DC voltage being lower than the first DC voltage to allow the second DC voltage to be applied to the winding of the AC contactor through the first switch, thereby maintaining the magnetic field.