What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
Transformer Buyers NC buys used, surplus, failed and obsolete 50 kVA transformers anywhere in North Carolina. This page covers nameplate details, common service arrangements, condition records and removal planning for plant engineers, facility directors, contractors and utility asset managers.
A single-phase padmount serving a shop, restaurant or small office often falls in this class. Before removal, confirm ownership, photograph the nameplate and check access around the concrete pad.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or 3-phase | 50 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
What 50 kVA means on a nameplate
The 50 kVA marking identifies apparent power capacity, not a fixed amount of usable kilowatts. On a single-phase unit with a 240-volt secondary, rated secondary current is approximately 208 amperes.
Load power factor and operating conditions determine how that capacity translates into real power.
Read the complete plate before describing a 50 kVA transformer. Record manufacturer, serial number, primary voltage, secondary voltage, frequency and impedance. A clear photograph should also capture the wiring diagram and tap positions; those details distinguish units that share the same capacity marking.
Local reality
Where 50 kVA units are used in North Carolina
A 50 kVA single-phase padmount commonly serves a shop, a restaurant or a small office. In Raleigh or Greensboro, that might mean a service beside a parking lot, with underground primary cable entering a locked compartment and secondary conductors feeding the building disconnect.
Ownership needs checking before a North Carolina facility schedules removal. A 50 kVA padmount on private property may belong to Duke Energy, an electric cooperative or a municipal utility rather than the building owner.
Service agreements and asset records should establish who can authorize transfer.
Around the site
Weight and dimensions in practice
For the single-phase padmount described here, shipping weight is roughly 400 to 600 pounds. Treat that as a planning band, not a lifting specification.
The nameplate, manufacturer drawing or verified weight governs equipment selection, especially if the tank has been modified or partly drained.
Measure the 50 kVA tank and cabinet together, including hinges, bushings and any projecting hardware. Record overall height, width and depth rather than assuming a standard footprint. A narrow gate behind a Durham restaurant can matter more than the open space beside the pad.
Where it sits
Handling a 50 kVA unit
A boom truck is the usual choice for this roughly 400-to-600-pound unit, and the pad has to be clear. Remove loose materials and establish truck access before arrival.
Qualified electrical personnel must isolate the transformer, verify absence of voltage and disconnect cables before lifting begins.
Use the manufacturer's designated lifting points on the 50 kVA tank, not cabinet doors, bushings or elbow connectors. The rigging plan should account for sling angles and boom reach.
Check pavement support, overhead conductors and buried structures where the boom truck's outriggers will bear.
On the ground
Voltage and phase combinations
A common 50 kVA single-phase arrangement has a medium-voltage primary and a 120/240-volt secondary. Primary ratings vary with the serving circuit; 7,200 volts is one example.
Copy the full nameplate designation, including any grounded-wye notation, rather than reporting only the building's service voltage.
Do not assume every 50 kVA unit is a single-phase padmount. Dry-type and other configurations also carry this rating, with different voltage combinations and terminal arrangements.
For a three-phase unit, include the connection diagram and phase designation so the buyer can identify the actual configuration.
Local reality
Condition and testing
A failed 50 kVA padmount still needs a precise condition description. Note oil at the tank seam, a cracked bushing, corrosion around the cabinet base or a operated bayonet fuse.
Identify known lightning damage or overheating without assuming that an external defect proves winding failure.
Include existing insulation-resistance, turns-ratio and oil-test reports for the 50 kVA unit when available. Record test dates and explain whether the transformer was energized afterward.
Fluid identification and PCB documentation matter for older oil-filled equipment; missing paperwork should be disclosed, not replaced with guesses.
Around the site
What a 50 kVA unit is worth to a buyer
A buyer's assessment of a 50 kVA transformer depends on its voltage configuration, construction, documented condition and removal requirements. An intact 120/240-volt padmount with a legible nameplate presents a different evaluation from a burned tank with missing bushings and unidentified fluid.
Capacity alone is insufficient.
Transformer Buyers NC buys 50 kVA units whether they are used, surplus, failed or obsolete. For assessment, assemble nameplate photographs, ownership records, condition notes and access details.
Show the clear pad, truck approach and cable compartment so removal planning reflects the actual North Carolina site.
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
How heavy is a 50 kVA padmount transformer?
The single-phase padmount discussed here typically has a shipping weight of roughly 400 to 600 pounds. Verify the specific unit's weight from its nameplate or manufacturer documentation before lifting. Tank construction, fluid quantity and cabinet design can change the handling requirements.
Service area
Can you buy a failed 50 kVA transformer?
Yes. Transformer Buyers NC buys failed 50 kVA transformers as well as used, surplus and obsolete units. Describe the failure, photograph damaged bushings or tank seams, and provide available test reports. Disclose fluid leaks and missing identification before removal is planned.
Payment
What access is needed for a boom truck?
The 50 kVA pad must be clear, with a suitable truck approach and room for outriggers. Document gates, overhead conductors and pavement conditions. Boom reach and ground support determine the setup; the transformer must be electrically isolated and disconnected before lifting.
Logistics
Voltage and phase combinations: what should a seller know?
A common 50 kVA single-phase arrangement has a medium-voltage primary and a 120/240-volt secondary. Primary ratings vary with the serving circuit; 7,200 volts is one example.