What we buy
Ranges we buy on this page
This page covers selling used, surplus, failed and obsolete 23 kV class transformers in North Carolina. It is written for plant engineers, utility asset managers, facility directors and contractors handling industrial distribution equipment or co-op ties.
| Phase | kVA | Voltage | Fluid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or 3-phase | 25 - 20,000 kVA | 23 kV Class | Liquid or dry |
| 3-phase | 75 - 10,000 kVA | up to 34.5 kV | Liquid-filled |
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 23 kV Class means
The 23 kV class sits in sub-transmission service used for industrial distribution and some co-op ties. Class designation alone does not establish the operating voltage.
Read the nameplate primary rating, tap positions and connection diagram against the facility one-line before identifying the unit.
Insulation coordination commonly involves a basic impulse level, or BIL, around 150 kV for this class. Confirm the actual nameplate rating rather than assuming it. Bushings, terminal compartments and connected arresters need review together, especially where a 23 kV circuit enters a building.
Local reality
North Carolina installations
Large plants in the Piedmont may have 23 kV equipment feeding plant distribution through outdoor substations or enclosed transformer bays. A removal survey should trace the incoming circuit, secondary bus and adjacent equipment. Shared cable trenches can prevent a straight pull from the pad.
Utility sub-transmission loops and some North Carolina co-op ties also use this voltage class. Ownership boundaries matter during retirement: the transformer, switches and incoming conductors may belong to different parties.
Asset records and the one-line should establish which equipment is included in the transfer.
Around the site
Clearances that decide the rigging
At 23 kV, insulation clearances start to matter inside a building. Tall bushings and terminal structures can leave little space beneath beams or door headers. Measure the assembled height, doorway opening and lifting clearance separately; a crane hook needs room beyond the tank height.
Removal dimensions are not the same as electrical working clearances. Qualified personnel must establish safe boundaries around any adjacent energized 23 kV equipment. After isolation, the rigging plan can address removable bushings, radiator banks and cable boxes without treating those components as lifting points.
Where it sits
Field testing
Useful records for a retired 23 kV transformer include turns-ratio results, winding resistance readings and insulation test reports. Record the tap position and test temperature where applicable. A ratio mismatch can indicate a connection error or winding problem rather than ordinary age alone.
Oil-filled 23 kV units also need fluid information, including laboratory reports and PCB documentation where applicable. Dissolved gas results can help explain an internal fault, but they do not replace inspection.
Photograph cracked bushings, leaking gaskets, displaced leads and any pressure-relief operation evidence.
On the ground
Moving high-voltage equipment
A 23 kV nameplate does not establish transport weight. Use drawings, shipping records or verified measurements to determine the lift and trailer requirements. Confirm whether the stated weight includes oil and radiators before selecting a lowboy, crane setup or temporary route through the yard.
For a Piedmont plant removal, inspect pavement edges, buried structures and the turn between the transformer pad and loading area. Identify designated lifting lugs and jacking points from manufacturer information.
A spreader bar may be needed to keep slings away from bushings and radiator headers.
Local reality
Valuation notes
Assessment of a 23 kV transformer starts with kVA, primary and secondary voltages, winding connections and condition. Copper or aluminum winding information should come from records, not guesses based on tank size. Missing bushings or a damaged terminal compartment change the removal scope.
A failed 23 kV unit needs a clear failure history: through-fault, internal arcing, overheating or an unexplained protective trip. Obsolete equipment needs its retirement reason documented. Access restrictions, fluid handling requirements and incomplete ownership records also affect whether the proposed transfer can proceed.
Around the site
Next steps
Prepare a nameplate photograph, overall views and close-ups of the 23 kV bushings, secondary terminals and leaks. Include the North Carolina site location, equipment status and available test records. State whether the unit remains connected, has been isolated or has already been moved.
Transformer Buyers NC buys used, surplus, failed and obsolete 23 kV class transformers anywhere in North Carolina. Before pickup planning, establish ownership authorization, isolation responsibility and the loading scope. Record who will disconnect cables, handle fluid work and provide access to the 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
Does 23 kV class mean the operating voltage?
Not necessarily. The class identifies an equipment voltage category, while the nameplate and tap settings identify the intended operating arrangement. For a North Carolina industrial installation, compare those details with the one-line and incoming circuit designation before describing the transformer.
Service area
Can a failed 23 kV transformer be assessed?
Yes. We buy failed 23 kV class transformers as well as used, surplus and obsolete units. Provide the trip history, fault reports, fluid records and photographs of tank or bushing damage. State whether the failure left loose components or leaking oil.
Payment
What measurements matter for an indoor removal?
For an indoor 23 kV transformer, document tank dimensions, assembled bushing height, doorway clearance and overhead lifting space. Include the route to the loading area and verified weight. Electrical isolation and adjacent energized equipment boundaries must be resolved separately from rigging dimensions.
Logistics
Field testing: what should a seller know?
Useful records for a retired 23 kV transformer include turns-ratio results, winding resistance readings and insulation test reports. Record the tap position and test temperature where applicable. A ratio mismatch can indicate a connection error or winding problem rather than ordinary age alone.