Patent ID: 7259490

Claim:
A synchronous machine comprising: a rotor which has a plurality of poles which are each provided with at least one respective pole winding, wherein the pole windings of a plurality of poles are galvanically connected together by means of a first conductor through which an exciter current flows; a generator coupled to the rotor; a power output conductor coupled to the generator and carrying thereon a power current produced by the generator; a monitoring conductor which can be acted upon with a signal, being positioned adjacent to the output conductor, the monitoring conductor being coupled to a device for detecting the signal such that an interruption in the output conductor can be detected by a signal variation in the monitoring conductor; and a device for detecting the signal that is coupled to a control device which then reduces the power current through the output conductor, the device for acting upon the monitoring conductor with a signal being of a redundant design that includes a first and a second device for acting upon the monitoring conductor with a signal.