🔍 Key Concepts

• Alternator basics – how voltage is created by the rotating field and stationary windings • Excitation field – why the alternator needs DC field current to build AC voltage • Mechanical vs. electrical issues – how slip rings/brushes affect output (reduced vs. zero voltage)

💭 Think About

• Which condition would completely stop the alternator from building any voltage at all, rather than just causing weak or unstable output? • How does the excitation field current get into the rotor, and what happens to line voltage if that current is lost entirely? • Would a closed circuit breaker prevent voltage from being produced, or only from being delivered to the load?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which option would cause no magnetic field in the rotor, not just a dirty or inefficient connection. • Consider whether oxidized slip rings or improperly staggered brushes would usually cause partial/reduced voltage rather than none at all. • Confirm what a closed vs. open circuit breaker actually does in terms of allowing or interrupting current flow.