A machine is a device to realize the mutual conversion of electric energy and mechanical energy. This work mainly discusses the applicability of impulse frequency response analysis (IFRA) to detect the stator winding short circuit faults. The parameters of excitation waveform and signal sampling were carefully selected. A solid-state nanosecond pulsed power source prototype was developed for resonant excitation of windings. The proposed method was then verified on a 5-kVA, 380-V, two-pole, the salient synchronous machine (SM) through artificial fault experiments. Finally, the proposed method was compared with other traditional methods. The method has the advantages of fast measurement, rich high frequencies, high stability, and low cost. Since the principle of IFRA is also applicable to large SMs, this method and device may also be applied to detect large SMs winding short circuit faults. It can be used as an auxiliary and alternative method in the nondestructive fault detection of SMs.