What type of hold does a contactor have when it closes with power applied to the coil and releases when power is removed?

In this scenario, the type of hold referred to is an electrically-held contactor. When the coil of a contactor is energized, it generates a magnetic field that pulls the contacts together, which allows current to flow through the circuit. This operation is contingent on the presence of power to the coil; as long as the coil is energized, the contacts remain closed.

Once the power is removed from the coil, the magnetic field dissipates, and the contacts return to their de-energized state, opening up the circuit. This behavior signifies that the contactor relies on electrical energy to maintain its operational state, as opposed to a mechanically-held contactor, which would require a physical latch or mechanism to hold the contacts closed even in the absence of power. Thus, the correct identification of the contactor's operation as electrically-held is rooted in how it engages and disengages based solely on the presence or absence of electrical power applied to its coil.