Low voltage AC contactor including high recovery voltage gas system

A low voltage AC contactor having a high voltage recovery capability and comprising:

• at least one contact assembly comprising a plurality of contact pads and a contact pad positioning device, at least one of said contact pads being attached to said positioning device, said positioning device being moveably mounted so as to selectively dispose the positionable contact pad attached to said device between a closed circuit position wherein said positionable electrical contact is disposed in electrical contact with another of said plurality of contacts and an open circuit position wherein said positionable contact pad is disposed away from said another of said plurality of contacts such that a gap exists therebetween;
• and
• a high recovery voltage strength gas system coupled to said contact assembly, said gas system comprising means for introducing a high recovery voltage strength gas into said gap between said positionable contact and said another one of said plurality of contact pads;
• said high recovery voltage strength gas having a high glow discharge cathode voltage fall value as determined for silver-based contacts not less than about 300 volts.