In　order　to　restrain　the　arc　of　the　AC　contactor　during　breaking,　the　contact　voltage　is　set　as　the　research　objective.　The　trends　of　the　contact　voltage　and　the　arc　extinguishing　after　zero　current　under　different　breaking　time　are　studied　based　on　vast　experiment　data.　The　energy　time　spectrums　of　the　arc　voltage　of　the　AC　contactor　in　different　breaking　areas　within　1ms　before　zero　current　are　analyzed　by　wavelet　energy　spectrum　under　different　currents　and　different　power　factors.　The　change　trend　and　characteristics　of　the　arc　voltage　before　and　after　zero　crossing　are　counted　and　analyzed.　The　best　breaking　areas　for　AC　contactor　are　discussed.　And　the　maximum　value　of　the　high　scales　wavelet　energy　time　spectrum　within　300　μs　after　zero　crossing　of　the　contact　voltage　is　presented　as　the　criterion　of　arc　reigniting.　Two　areas　of　0.4~0.6　ms　and　0.9~1.0　ms　are　determined　to　be　the　best　breaking　areas.　Then　the　adaptive　control　strategy　for　breaking　AC　contactors　is　presented　based　on　the　breaking　time　tf　and　the　amplitude　of　the　wavelet　energy　time　spectrums　E4.　©　2016,　The　editorial　office　of　Transaction　of　China　Electrotechnical　Society.　All　right　reserved.