What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
This page covers selling overstock transformers when a contractor or EPC has more units than the remaining work needs. For North Carolina project managers and yard supervisors, the starting points are quantity, sizes, and whether the units remain crated.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-phase | 10 - 333 kVA | up to 25 kV | Liquid or dry |
| 3-phase | 50 - 20,000 kVA | 115 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
Overstock develops when the transformer count purchased for a project exceeds the count needed to finish it.
A contractor may have several matching pad-mounted units left after a scope reduction, while an EPC may hold crated transformers for buildings removed from a North Carolina construction package.
The remaining units may never have left their shipping skids. Separate those transformers from equipment still assigned to the job, using the project equipment schedule and serial numbers.
A canceled building does not automatically release every transformer associated with it; the owner must confirm which units are surplus.
Local reality
What Overstock changes about the sale
Overstock is usually made up of standard sizes, which generally makes it easier to move than a single custom-built transformer. Several units with the same kVA, primary voltage, and secondary voltage can be reviewed together.
Matching dimensions also simplify trailer layout, provided the actual weights and lifting points are verified.
Standard size alone does not establish an exact match. Two 500 kVA pad-mounted transformers can differ in primary voltage, winding connection, impedance, or dead-front compartment arrangement.
Keep the nameplate details attached to each serial number rather than describing the entire surplus group from one representative photograph.
Around the site
Documentation that matters
A project equipment schedule, packing list, and clear nameplate photographs establish what is actually in the yard. Record quantity by rating and configuration, not just total unit count.
For unopened crates, shipping labels can support the first review, but they should not replace verified transformer identification before pickup.
Ownership records matter when a contractor purchased the transformers for an EPC or end user. Confirm who has authority to release the surplus and whether the contract requires owner approval.
Factory test reports and receiving inspection sheets help distinguish unused, accepted units from equipment held because of shipping damage.
Where it sits
Risk and liability
A sealed crate does not prove that the transformer inside is undamaged. Forklift strikes, torn wrapping, tilted skids, and crushed crate corners deserve photographs before anything moves.
For liquid-filled units, look for oil staining beneath the tank and around visible radiator connections without entering compartments or disturbing shipping restraints.
Treat any transformer connected to temporary power as installed equipment, not simply an extra project unit. Qualified personnel must establish its electrical condition before handling.
For surplus awaiting release, define responsibility for disconnecting cables, containing any leakage, and clearing the loading area before a truck enters the contractor's yard.
On the ground
Timing
The useful decision point is when the remaining work scope and equipment schedule agree. Selling too early can remove a unit still needed for the last building or revised service.
Waiting until the laydown yard closes can leave crated transformers behind fencing scheduled for removal or outside crane access.
Pickup planning should follow the site's actual demobilization sequence. Give the date when the forklift, crane, or loading crew leaves, along with gate hours and trailer restrictions.
Several matching skids may fit one coordinated loading window, but their dimensions, verified weights, and securement requirements determine the transport plan.
Local reality
How we handle overstock
We review the surplus as a defined group, starting with the quantity, sizes, and crate status. Nameplate information separates matching units from exceptions within the same project package.
Photos of skids, tanks, and loading access help identify what must be checked before arranging removal from a North Carolina site.
The pickup plan accounts for each transformer's lifting provisions and the condition of its shipping base. An intact crate may remain in place if it permits safe handling; damaged lumber may require another approach.
Release paperwork should identify the serial numbers being removed so assigned project equipment stays behind.
Around the site
What to send first
Send a count of surplus transformers, their kVA sizes, primary and secondary voltages, and whether each unit is still crated. Include the North Carolina pickup location and photographs of nameplates or accessible shipping labels.
Mark any differences between units that otherwise appear identical on the project's packing list.
Add the equipment release status, the yard closing date, and the loading equipment currently on site. Wide photographs should show the skids, travel path, gate, and space for a trailer.
Identify any damaged crates or oil staining separately, rather than burying those details in a general group description.
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 review several matching crated transformers together?
Yes. Provide the quantity, rating, voltage combination, and crate status for the group, with serial numbers wherever accessible. Matching shipping labels help organize the review, but differences in nameplates or crate condition should be listed separately rather than assumed to apply to every unit.
Service area
Should we open every crate before the first review?
Not necessarily. Start with accessible shipping labels, packing lists, and exterior photographs. Note whether nameplates can be photographed without dismantling the crate. Do not remove protective packaging or shipping restraints solely for the initial review; identification and handling requirements can be clarified before pickup.
Payment
What if some units remain assigned to the project?
Separate the surplus list from the active equipment schedule before release. Identify each unit by serial number or another verified project identifier, and obtain approval from the party authorized to release it.
Logistics
Timing: what should a seller know?
The useful decision point is when the remaining work scope and equipment schedule agree. Selling too early can remove a unit still needed for the last building or revised service.