What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
This page covers selling a transformer taken out of service after a gasket, tank weld or bushing well starts leaking. It is for North Carolina plant engineers, utility asset managers, facility directors and demolition crews managing the equipment and the release.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-phase | 10 - 333 kVA | up to 25 kV | Liquid or dry |
| 3-phase | 75 - 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 situation
A wet gasket seam can leave a slow trail down the tank. A cracked weld or leaking bushing well can release oil faster, especially while the tank is warm.
Once the unit is taken out of service, record the source before wiping away evidence or disturbing fittings.
Oil on a concrete pad does not establish how much escaped. Check the liquid level indication, maintenance logs and any oil collected in drip pans.
Note whether the leak stopped after shutdown or continues while the transformer sits isolated, and identify where runoff could leave the pad.
Local reality
What Oil Leak changes about the sale
A leaking transformer is a cleanup obligation before it is an asset ready for removal. Oil beneath the tank, saturated gravel and a contaminated sump remain site concerns even after the equipment leaves.
The sale needs a defined boundary between transformer handling and release cleanup on the property.
The leak location affects handling. A radiator flange may be accessible without moving the tank; a leak beneath the base may not be.
Estimated volume lost and remaining fluid level help establish whether the unit can be lifted as found or needs stabilization before loading onto a trailer.
Around the site
Documentation that matters
Send the nameplate photograph with the inspection report that first identified the leak. Include the shutdown date, recorded liquid levels and any repair attempts involving gaskets, valves or welded seams.
These records distinguish a known external leak from an unexplained fluid loss inside a damaged enclosure or cable compartment.
Fluid test reports should identify the sampled transformer and the sampling date, including any PCB analysis available. Keep spill response records, waste shipment paperwork and photographs of the containment area together.
An old laboratory result from a different tank does not establish the condition of this leaking unit.
Where it sits
Risk and liability
Oil can move from a pad through gravel, trench drains or stormwater structures before anyone sees a puddle. Have the responsible site personnel assess the release and applicable reporting duties.
Do not hose the pad or push absorbent material into a drain to clear space for rigging equipment.
Electrical isolation and spill containment are separate requirements. Qualified personnel must establish the transformer’s electrical condition; removing load does not prove every terminal is safe.
The owner should also identify who maintains berms, drip pans and absorbents while the tank awaits removal, including nights and weekends at the site.
On the ground
Timing
A continuing leak can change the removal sequence overnight. A pan that was nearly empty at shutdown may fill before the crane arrives.
Give the pickup team current photographs and an updated loss estimate, not just the original incident report, so handling reflects the tank’s present condition.
Schedule around access to the leaking side of the tank, not just the outage window. A lowboy, crane outriggers and spill response equipment may need the same pavement.
At a North Carolina hospital or operating plant, keep emergency access clear while assigning a contained staging area for removal.
Local reality
How we handle oil leak
Transformer Buyers NC reviews the leak location, estimated volume lost and whether containment remains in place before planning removal. Photographs should show the tank seam or fitting and the surrounding pad.
We also review dimensions, lifting provisions and site access to identify handling issues caused by the leak.
The removal plan should state how residual oil will be controlled during lifting and transport. A loose radiator connection, damaged drain valve or leaking bushing well needs attention before movement.
Cleanup scope, electrical disconnection and any required fluid work should be assigned explicitly rather than assumed to accompany pickup.
Around the site
What to send first
Start with a readable nameplate, an overall photograph and close views of the leak. Mark the suspected gasket, weld or bushing well without opening energized compartments.
Provide the North Carolina site location, shutdown status and the best estimate of oil lost, explaining whether that estimate comes from measurements or observation.
Show whether the berm, sump or portable containment is still in place and describe any oil beyond it. Include fluid analysis, spill records and the contact responsible for isolation.
Photographs of the approach road and lifting points help connect the leak assessment to a workable route off the 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 transformer that still leaks?
We evaluate leaking transformers, including units removed from service after gasket, weld or bushing well failures. A continuing leak needs documented containment and a handling plan before movement. Send current photographs, the estimated oil loss and any fluid test reports tied to that transformer.
Service area
Should we drain the transformer before removal?
Do not drain it solely to prepare for a sale without an agreed handling plan. Fluid removal creates another transfer operation and requires suitable containers and documentation. The leak location, remaining oil, tank condition and transport requirements determine whether draining is appropriate before pickup.
Payment
Does transformer removal include cleaning the pad?
Do not assume equipment removal includes cleanup of the pad, gravel or sump. Those tasks need a defined scope and responsible party. Document oil outside containment and keep spill response records so transformer handling can be coordinated without leaving the site cleanup responsibilities unclear.
Logistics
Timing: what should a seller know?
A continuing leak can change the removal sequence overnight. A pan that was nearly empty at shutdown may fill before the crane arrives.