What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
A 15 kVA transformer often serves one farm service or a small shop from a single-phase pole-mounted tank. This page covers identification, condition checks and removal planning for North Carolina owners, including utility asset managers, farm operators and demolition crews.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or 3-phase | 15 kVA | up to 34.5 kV | Liquid or dry |
| 3-phase | 50 - 20,000 kVA | 46 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 15 kVA class
The 15 kVA rating describes apparent power capacity, not the tank's dimensions or its oil volume. On a single-phase pole can, confirm that rating directly from the nameplate.
A weathered stencil or a handwritten yard tag can confuse a 15 kVA unit with another size.
A retired 15 kVA pole transformer may still have sound windings even when its mounting brackets or cover gasket need attention. A failed unit needs a different review.
Record whether removal followed a lightning event, an internal fault, a leaking tank or a service upgrade.
Local reality
Typical North Carolina applications
On a North Carolina farm, a 15 kVA single-phase pole can may feed one service for lighting, receptacles and modest equipment loads. The service arrangement matters more than the acreage.
Photograph the nameplate rather than inferring capacity from the barn, irrigation equipment or nearby meter.
A small shop outside Sanford or in rural Johnston County may use this class for a limited single-phase service. A replacement can leave the old tank at the pole base or maintenance yard.
Identify the owner before arranging removal; utility equipment does not automatically belong to the landowner.
Around the site
Shipping weight and footprint
Shipping weight for the 15 kVA pole-can class is roughly 120 to 200 pounds. Tank design, oil quantity and mounting hardware affect the actual load.
Use a nameplate weight or verified measurement when possible, and distinguish the complete oil-filled assembly from a drained tank or loose components.
The footprint is compact enough for a pickup truck, but the bushings extend beyond the tank's strongest handling surfaces. Measure overall height and width with brackets attached.
A storage photograph should include the base, cover and bushings so clearance and restraint points can be checked before loading.
Where it sits
Rigging and load-out
Once disconnected and safely on the ground, one person can move a roughly 120-to-200-pound unit with a suitably rated hand truck under controlled conditions. That does not make solo lifting appropriate.
Secure the tank to the hand truck and keep its weight balanced over the axle.
A pickup truck is enough for this size when payload capacity, bed access and restraints are suitable. Use a rated ramp or lifting equipment for the bed transition.
Keep the tank upright, protect the porcelain bushings and secure it against sliding; never use a bushing as a lifting point.
On the ground
Primary and secondary voltages
A 15 kVA single-phase pole transformer may have a 7,200-volt primary and a 120/240-volt secondary, but the nameplate controls identification. Other primary ratings occur on North Carolina distribution systems.
Photograph the voltage entries, tap information and connection diagram rather than relying on the service meter alone.
The number of primary bushings helps describe the arrangement, but it does not establish the winding voltage by itself. Include clear views of each bushing and secondary terminal.
For a 120/240-volt unit, preserve the nameplate diagram showing the secondary winding connections and designated terminals for assessment.
Local reality
Inspection and oil test
Inspect the 15 kVA tank for rust at the bottom seam, oil around the cover gasket and cracks in the porcelain bushings. Photograph any bulge or heat discoloration without opening the tank.
A unit removed after fuse operation needs its fault history recorded alongside the visible damage.
Oil testing should follow the owner's procedures and the unit's documented history. Existing dielectric test results and PCB records can help assess an older North Carolina pole can.
Do not assume a small oil volume removes documentation requirements, and do not drain or sample oil merely for photographs.
Around the site
Valuation for this size
Assessment of a 15 kVA transformer starts with the nameplate, ownership documentation and condition, not its compact appearance. An intact surplus pole can and a faulted tank require different handling decisions.
We review voltage configuration, oil records, missing parts and whether the unit is already disconnected.
For a unit weighing roughly 120 to 200 pounds, location can shape the removal plan as much as condition. A tank beside a paved maintenance bay differs from one behind a muddy farm gate.
Provide the North Carolina pickup location, access restrictions and photographs of the loading area.
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 one person move a 15 kVA transformer?
One person can move a grounded, disconnected 15 kVA pole can with a rated hand truck under controlled conditions. Typical shipping weight is roughly 120 to 200 pounds.
Service area
What photos identify a 15 kVA pole can?
Provide a legible nameplate photograph showing 15 kVA, primary voltage, secondary voltage and serial number. Add views of the tank bottom, cover gasket, mounting brackets and bushings. For a failed unit, include visible leaks or damage and the owner's removal or fault record.
Payment
Do you buy failed 15 kVA units in NC?
Transformer Buyers NC buys failed 15 kVA transformers as well as used, surplus and obsolete units throughout North Carolina. Assessment requires ownership confirmation, nameplate details and condition information.
Logistics
Primary and secondary voltages: what should a seller know?
A 15 kVA single-phase pole transformer may have a 7,200-volt primary and a 120/240-volt secondary, but the nameplate controls identification. Other primary ratings occur on North Carolina distribution systems.