What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
This guide covers the six photographs that answer most of a buyer's questions about a used, surplus, failed, or obsolete transformer in North Carolina. It is for plant engineers, utility asset managers, facility directors, contractors, demolition crews, and trustees documenting equipment before removal.
The goal is a readable nameplate, visible connections, clear condition evidence, and an honest view of the pickup route—not six attractive pictures of the same tank.
| 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
Start with six views: the complete transformer, the nameplate, the connections, the cooling equipment, any damage or leakage, and the pickup approach. Label each image with the equipment identifier. A wide shot should include the pad or foundation, not just a cropped steel tank.
Take the nameplate photograph straight on, close enough to read kVA, primary and secondary voltage, serial number, impedance, and listed weight. For connection photographs, use only safely accessible exterior views.
Never open an energized compartment or approach exposed bushings simply to complete the six-image set.
Local reality
Why a seller should care
A clear image of a 13,200-volt primary rating answers a different question than a distant picture of a green enclosure. Buyers need to distinguish the electrical configuration from the cabinet style.
The nameplate and connection views help identify what the equipment actually is before anyone plans removal.
Pickup access can change the handling plan even when two transformers share the same kVA rating. Photograph the gate, overhead pipes, nearby fence, and space beside the pad.
A hospital service yard with restricted truck access needs different preparation than an open industrial laydown area.
Around the site
The arithmetic
Six photographs mean six information categories, not a rigid limit of six files. One legible nameplate image may establish several ratings at once.
If glare hides the serial number or winding designation, add a second close-up rather than asking the buyer to infer missing characters.
Count coverage before counting attachments: one overall view, one nameplate view, one connection view, one cooling view, one condition view, and one access view. A bank of three single-phase units needs identification for each tank.
Do not multiply one unit's listed weight without confirming matching nameplates.
Where it sits
Where people go wrong
Glare, motion blur, and messaging-app compression can make a nameplate unreadable even when the original looked sharp on a phone. Review the image at full size before leaving the yard.
Keep original files, and retake plates with missing voltage digits or obscured cooling-class markings while safely accessible.
A clean front view can conceal a bent radiator, cracked porcelain bushing, or oil staining along a lower gasket. Photograph visible defects separately and note their location.
Do not wipe away leakage evidence, climb the tank, or move cables to make the equipment look cleaner.
On the ground
Value impact
Photographs support valuation by reducing uncertainty about identity, visible condition, and handling requirements. They do not prove winding integrity or dielectric condition.
An intact tank can contain a failed winding; a stained gasket does not, by itself, establish the cause or extent of an internal fault.
Pair the six views with available test reports, maintenance records, and fluid documentation. If a unit failed after a protection trip, state that history separately from what the photographs show.
Transformer Buyers NC buys failed equipment too, but visible damage and documented failure history require different review.
Local reality
Your next move
Put the photographs in a folder named for the site and equipment tag, such as Raleigh Building 2 T-4. Add a short note stating whether the unit is energized, disconnected, or already removed.
Record missing nameplates, inaccessible compartments, and any known limits on photography at the facility.
Before sharing the set, check that the nameplate belongs to the tank in the overall view and that the access image shows the actual removal route. Include dimensions or listed weight when documented.
Photographing a transformer does not authorize disconnection, fluid handling, lifting, or entry into restricted electrical spaces.
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
What if the transformer nameplate is missing?
Photograph the mounting location, any stamped identifiers, and every remaining label. Include equipment schedules or original drawings if they identify that specific unit. Mark uncertain ratings as unknown; cabinet dimensions and bushing arrangement alone are not reliable substitutes for a missing nameplate.
Service area
Should I open compartments for connection photographs?
Do not open an energized compartment for photographs. Use exterior views and existing documentation when access is unsafe or unauthorized.
Payment
Can photographs replace transformer testing or fluid records?
No. Photographs show labels, visible damage, leaks, and handling access, not insulation resistance or dissolved gases. Submit existing test reports and fluid records alongside the images.
Logistics
Value impact: what should a seller know?
Photographs support valuation by reducing uncertainty about identity, visible condition, and handling requirements. They do not prove winding integrity or dielectric condition.