What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
Transformer Buyers NC buys used, surplus, failed and obsolete transformers from landfill gas facilities across North Carolina. This page covers generator step-up units, padmounts and small substation transformers at projects in the Piedmont and coastal plain, including equipment retired during generator overhauls.
It is written for plant engineers, landfill operators, facility managers and contractors coordinating ownership, utility isolation, oil records and removal before a gas contract deadline.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-phase | 10 - 333 kVA | up to 25 kV | Liquid or dry |
| 3-phase | 15 - 20,000 kVA | 34.5 kV | Liquid or dry |
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 load profile in Landfill Gas
Landfill gas projects typically run continuous small generation, but the fuel has variable quality. Changes in methane content and gas treatment performance can affect engine output and operating hours.
The generator step-up transformer sees those changes as electrical loading, not as direct exposure to the landfill gas.
A generator shutdown can leave its step-up unit idle while collection wells and gas treatment equipment remain active. Before declaring a transformer surplus, confirm which padmount still feeds blowers, condensate pumps or controls.
Removing that auxiliary supply too early can interrupt gas handling even after generation stops.
Local reality
What transformers Landfill Gas hold
Equipment commonly includes generator step-up units, padmounts and small substation transformers. A step-up nameplate might show a 480-volt generator side and a medium-voltage utility side; the actual ratio must come from the plate.
Record kVA, impedance, cooling designation and winding connection rather than relying on the engine rating.
At an outdoor generator compound, inspect radiator fins, tank seams, bushings and cable compartments before planning removal. A padmount may have separable elbows and internal fuses, while a substation unit may use exposed bushings.
Photographs should distinguish oil seepage from old staining and show any damaged termination hardware clearly.
Around the site
North Carolina facilities
Landfill gas projects in the Piedmont may place transformers beside engine buildings, utility interconnection gear and active waste roads. A truck route that worked during construction may now cross expanded disposal areas.
Current gate instructions and a marked site plan matter more than an old equipment delivery drawing.
In the coastal plain, rain-softened access lanes and standing water around a transformer pad can change the lifting plan. Check crane setup areas, drainage ditches and trailer turning space before scheduling mobilization.
The landfill operator should identify routes that keep removal vehicles clear of daily cover and hauling traffic.
Where it sits
Who decides and when
The landfill owner, gas project operator and engine contractor may control different parts of the compound. Transformer ownership cannot be inferred from its location beside a generator.
An asset register, lease exhibit or interconnection agreement can establish whether the project operator or utility controls the unit proposed for removal.
A gas contract and a generator overhaul often set the schedule. The project manager needs to establish whether the transformer leaves before engine work begins or stays for recommissioning.
We buy retired equipment, but the owner must first resolve shared auxiliary feeds and any utility restrictions on disconnecting it.
On the ground
Deadlines and compliance
The removal date should follow documented isolation, not merely the last day an engine runs. Qualified personnel must address possible backfeed from the utility connection and auxiliary circuits.
The work package should identify switching responsibility, lockout procedures, grounding requirements and the party authorized to release the transformer for handling.
Oil-filled landfill gas transformers need records that support proper handling. Provide existing PCB documentation, oil test reports and leak history where available; missing records may require sampling before movement.
A leaking drain valve or damaged tank calls for a containment plan that protects the pad, nearby soil and drainage.
Local reality
How a removal actually runs
Removal starts with a walkdown of the generator compound, cable routes and lifting access. After electrical release, the assigned crew disconnects conductors and any attached buswork under the agreed scope.
Open cable entries and exposed connections left behind need protection so the remaining blower or control supply can stay serviceable.
The lifting crew uses verified weight, suitable lifting points and the required rigging, which may include a spreader bar. Radiators and bushings are not lifting points.
A lowboy or other suitable trailer needs firm access and loading space outside the landfill haul route, with containment provisions based on tank condition.
Around the site
What we need from you
Send readable nameplate photographs, overall views and close-ups of bushings, elbows, radiators and leaks. Include the landfill location, generator designation and whether the transformer served generation or auxiliary loads.
Identify failed equipment explicitly, with relay records, test results or the observed fault rather than an unsupported diagnosis of winding damage.
For scheduling, provide the gas contract milestone, generator overhaul dates, ownership contact and expected electrical release date. Note gate restrictions, escort requirements, lifting obstructions and any available weight documentation.
State whether oil remains in the tank and who will complete disconnection, sampling and restoration of the vacated transformer pad.
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
Can you buy a failed landfill gas transformer?
We buy failed landfill gas transformers as well as used, surplus and obsolete units. Identify the fault and provide nameplate photographs, available test reports and tank-condition details.
Service area
Can removal happen during a generator overhaul?
Removal can be coordinated with a generator overhaul once ownership, electrical isolation and site access are resolved. Confirm that the transformer does not also supply gas blowers or controls.
Payment
What if the utility owns the step-up transformer?
The landfill operator cannot authorize removal of utility-owned equipment without the appropriate authorization. Check the interconnection agreement and asset records before arranging work.
Logistics
Deadlines and compliance: what should a seller know?
The removal date should follow documented isolation, not merely the last day an engine runs. Qualified personnel must address possible backfeed from the utility connection and auxiliary circuits.