An electric alternator system comprising an electric alternator and a current source, the electric alternator comprising a rotor, a stator and at least a first stator winding providing alternator output power to a load, the stator having a plurality of first slots and second slots circumferentially around the stator, the first slots located closer to the rotor than the second slots, the first slots having a portion of the first winding disposed therein, the second slots having another portion of the first winding disposed therein, the stator defining a first magnetic circuit path around the first slots and a second magnetic circuit path around the second slots, the second magnetic circuit path outside of the first magnetic circuit path, the first magnetic circuit path adapted to conduct rotor magnetic flux to induce a first voltage in the first winding, the second magnetic circuit path adapted to conduct rotor magnetic flux to induce a second voltage in the first winding, the second voltage opposite in direction to the first voltage, characterised in that: the stator has first and second magnetic permeabilities associated with the first and second magnetic circuit paths (60, 62); the portion of the first winding disposed in the second slots is wound oppositely relative to the portion in the first slots; the first and second magnetic permeabilities are selected such that in use the induced second voltage is sufficiently large relative to the induced first voltage so as to prevent the first voltage from exceeding a pre-determined maximum allowable output voltage; and said alternator further comprises a second winding disposed in the second slots, the second winding coiled around a stator portion remote from the first magnetic circuit and defining a portion of the second magnetic circuit, the second winding connected to the current source in use adapted to selectively energize the second winding to saturate said stator portion, said stator portion being unsaturated in a "no-load" condition when no current is drawn from the first winding by the load, and wherein in this "no-load" condition the induced second voltage is sufficiently large relative to the induced first voltage so as to prevent the first voltage from exceeding the pre-determined maximum allowable output voltage. the stator has first and second magnetic permeabilities associated with the first and second magnetic circuit paths (60, 62); the portion of the first winding disposed in the second slots is wound oppositely relative to the portion in the first slots; the first and second magnetic permeabilities are selected such that in use the induced second voltage is sufficiently large relative to the induced first voltage so as to prevent the first voltage from exceeding a pre-determined maximum allowable output voltage; and said alternator further comprises a second winding disposed in the second slots, the second winding coiled around a stator portion remote from the first magnetic circuit and defining a portion of the second magnetic circuit, the second winding connected to the current source in use adapted to selectively energize the second winding to saturate said stator portion, said stator portion being unsaturated in a "no-load" condition when no current is drawn from the first winding by the load, and wherein in this "no-load" condition the induced second voltage is sufficiently large relative to the induced first voltage so as to prevent the first voltage from exceeding the pre-determined maximum allowable output voltage.