What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
This guide covers transformer leak repair at gaskets, tank welds, radiator connections, and bushing wells, including the difference between a local repair and a re-gasket.
A wet tank does not establish the cause. Leak location, oil level, operating history, and repair records help separate a serviceable seal problem from broader damage.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-phase | 10 - 333 kVA | up to 25 kV | Liquid or dry |
| 3-phase | 25 - 10,000 kVA | 25 kV | Liquid-filled |
Who we buy from
Six kinds of seller
- Recyclers
- Electrical contractors
- Equipment dealers
- End users
- Demo contractors
- Distributors
Fast offers
A written offer the same business day, based on your photographs.
Dedicated logistics
Our own crew, trailer and crane, not a brokered haul.
No broker fees
One buyer from first call to cleared pad, with nothing skimmed.
How it works
Six steps from photograph to payment
- 01
Take pictures
Photograph the nameplate, the inside of the cabinet and the tank from both ends. Four frames on a phone are enough to price most units.
- 02
Send them to us
Email or text the photographs with the site address and whether the unit is still energised. We reply the same business day with questions or a number.
- 03
Review the offer
The offer names the unit, the site, the price and the pickup window. It is written, dated and good for thirty days unless the unit changes hands.
- 04
We schedule freight
A crew, a trailer and a crane if the pad needs one. You get the date and the arrival window, and the site does not have to close for it.
- 05
Testing on arrival
Winding resistance, insulation resistance and a turns ratio check, plus oil analysis where the unit is liquid-filled. Results travel with the unit.
- 06
Get paid
Payment is released against the signed bill of sale and the scale ticket, by check or ACH, with the paperwork copy left on site.
What we handle
The parts sellers dread
Rigging
Crane, skates and a route survey for anything that will not roll onto a trailer.
Oil containment
Pans, absorbent and a spill plan before a drain plug is touched.
Bill of sale
A document that clears a lien, a lease or a bankruptcy file, not a handwritten note.
PCB paperwork
Testing and manifesting for pre-1979 oil, handled before the unit moves.
On the ground
The short version
A local repair addresses a confirmed leak at one component, such as a drain valve gasket or radiator flange. A re-gasket replaces a defined group of seals across the transformer.
Neither term automatically includes tank welding, bushing replacement, oil processing, or electrical testing after the work is complete.
Oil below a bushing well may come from its seal, an elbow interface, or a higher cover joint. Trace the wet path before naming the failed part.
Qualified personnel should establish safe access and electrical isolation; wiping an energized compartment to find a leak is not a diagnostic shortcut.
Local reality
Why a seller should care
For an owner selling a leaking transformer, clear records matter more than a freshly painted tank. Photograph the source, the oil trail, and the nameplate before cleanup obscures them.
Identify whether the unit was operating, isolated, or already drained when the leak was first observed at the site.
Removal planning changes if oil can escape during lifting or transport. A radiator flange that only weeps on the pad may leak more as the tank shifts.
The pickup plan should address containment, accessible lifting points, and any loose fittings before a lowboy arrives at a North Carolina facility.
Around the site
The arithmetic
Leak assessment starts with observations, not a guessed loss rate. Record the oil level, gauge reading conditions, and dates of repeat checks. A falling level can reflect leakage, but temperature also changes liquid volume.
Compare readings under similar conditions and note whether the tank has a conservator system.
The repair scope depends on the number and location of failed seals, not simply the number of visible drips. Three wet radiator joints may require separate flange work; oil running down three sides may originate at one cover gasket.
A marked photograph prevents counting the same leak path twice.
Where it sits
Where people go wrong
Tightening every bolt around a wet flange can distort the joint or damage an aged gasket. Torque requirements depend on the flange, fasteners, and seal design.
A qualified repair crew should use the applicable procedure rather than treating a longer wrench as proof that the joint will seal correctly.
Tank weld repairs require more than cleaning the outside and striking an arc. Residual oil, vapors, pressure, and nearby insulation create hazards. Welding belongs under a qualified repair procedure with appropriate preparation.
Exterior sealant may conceal a crack without restoring the tank wall or establishing a durable leak repair.
On the ground
Value impact
A documented gasket leak presents a different condition from a cracked tank weld or damaged bushing well. For buyer evaluation, distinguish the suspected cause from the confirmed finding.
Include repair dates, replaced components, and post-repair observations rather than describing every wet unit as needing only a simple new gasket.
A re-gasket record is useful only when its scope is clear. Cover seals, radiator flanges, inspection plates, and bushing seals may not all have been included.
Oil test reports and electrical test results help describe the unit, but neither alone proves that a repaired joint remains dry in service.
Local reality
Your next move
Build a leak file before authorizing repairs solely for a planned sale. Include nameplate photographs, close views of each wet joint, oil level observations, and any service report.
If the transformer has been drained, retain the oil handling records and state whether the core and windings remained properly protected.
Transformer Buyers NC buys used, surplus, failed, and obsolete transformers across North Carolina, including units with documented leaks. Describe whether the leak is active, whether containment is in place, and whether access requires a crane.
An accurate condition record supports evaluation without assuming that every transformer needs re-gasketing first.
Get started
Get an offer in minutes
Five fields is all it takes. Photographs help, but a nameplate and a town are enough to start.
No fee, no obligation. We reply the same business day.
Tell us what you have
We reply the same business day.
Questions
Straight answers
Equipment types
Does every transformer leak require a full re-gasket?
No. A confirmed leak at one drain valve or radiator flange may warrant a local repair. Multiple hardened seals or repeated leaks can justify a broader scope. The repair report should identify which gaskets were replaced and which joints were left undisturbed.
Service area
Can oil beneath a bushing well identify the failure?
Not by itself. Oil can travel from a cover seam and collect below the well. Qualified personnel need to trace the source under safe conditions. Photograph the wet path before cleanup, and distinguish a failed seal from damage to the well or adjacent component.
Payment
Should a leaking transformer be repaired before selling?
Not automatically. Document the leak, oil level, operating status, and containment first. Transformer Buyers NC evaluates leaking equipment as well as repaired units. Necessary safety and environmental controls still apply, but a planned sale does not itself establish a need for full re-gasketing.
Logistics
Value impact: what should a seller know?
A documented gasket leak presents a different condition from a cracked tank weld or damaged bushing well. For buyer evaluation, distinguish the suspected cause from the confirmed finding.