A method, a system, and an apparatus are disclosed for monitoring the operating conditions of electric generators and motors by merely taking measurements from a few locations on the rotor's outer region/surface or stator's inner surface. In this disclosure an exemplary method of detecting adverse conditions within alternating current electromotive devices, which can lead to failure, is presented. This example method uses non-contact sensing devices mounted only on a section of the rotor's or stator's surface of the electromotive device to scan the stator's or rotor's surface, respectively. The disclosed method and apparatus will reduce cost by reducing complexity of the design, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and replacement of the monitoring system, and by utilizing generic mounting techniques that will reduce risk of damage to the generators as the lighter weight sensor housings are secured by simpler mounting means.