Red Seal Electrician Practice
MotorsQuestion 1221 of 1506

How does a synchronous reluctance motor start?

  1. Like a DC motor, with a commutator and a set of brushes on the shaft.
  2. Only by hand, after which it locks to the line frequency.
  3. By a capacitor wired in series with a rotor winding.
  4. Like an induction motor, then it adds a small synchronous torque.
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Correct answer: Like an induction motor, then it adds a small synchronous torque.

A slotted conductorless rotor starts as an induction motor and then adds synchronous torque from the changing reluctance.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits II: AC (Kuphaldt), 13.4: Reluctance Motor

Practice motors

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026