Sell Your Transformers
Transformers are heavy, awkward, and expensive to move — which is exactly why most of them sit in a corner of the yard for years after a project ends. We fix that. We buy the transformer, we send the rigging crew, we pay the freight, and you get a check.
Everything we need to quote is on the nameplate. Read it to us over the phone or text a photo of it to (951) 903-9804, and we'll give you a real number, usually the same day.
Transformers we buy
We buy dry type transformers from small 15 KVA wall-hung units up to large 2,500+ KVA floor units, padmount transformers coming out of shopping centers and substation upgrades, oil filled units (non-PCB), isolation and step-down transformers, and control transformers when there's quantity.
Voltage class doesn't scare us — 480 to 208 step-downs are the most common, but we buy medium-voltage primary units too. Age matters less than copper content and reusability: newer TP-1/DOE 2016 efficiency units resell, older units carry serious copper and core value.
- Dry type transformers — 15 KVA to 2,500+ KVA
- Padmount transformers, loop or radial feed
- Oil filled distribution transformers (non-PCB)
- Isolation, step-down, buck-boost, and control transformers
- Substation and unit substation transformers
The nameplate is the quote
KVA, primary and secondary voltage, manufacturer, impedance, and date code — it's all stamped on the nameplate riveted to the case. One clear photo of that plate and one wide shot of the unit is a complete quote package. If the nameplate is gone, measurements and a few photos still work; it just takes us a little longer.
We'll tell you honestly whether your unit is worth more as a resale item or as recovery material. Either way you get a number, and either way we do the heavy lifting.
Rigging, freight, and oil — handled
A 5,000-pound transformer is not a parcel shipment. Our crew arranges the crane or forklift, the flatbed, and the strapping. For oil filled units we confirm non-PCB status from the nameplate or test documentation before transport — a step a lot of casual buyers skip and regret.
If you're a contractor pulling a unit on a schedule, tell us the demo date and we'll coordinate pickup around your crane time. We've loaded out of tight electrical rooms, rooftops, and basements. There's always a way.
What drives a transformer's price
Four things set the number: kVA rating, voltage configuration, type, and the condition of the windings. The rating determines how many buyers exist — 75 to 500 kVA is the sweet spot because that is what most commercial buildings use. Unusual custom voltages narrow the market and soften the price.
Type changes both value and logistics. Dry-type units are easy to move and reinstall, so demand is steady. Oil-filled and padmount units hold more copper and more value, but need fluid handling and heavier equipment — costs we build into the offer rather than deducting later. Never-energized new surplus is the premium category.
| Dry-type, 15–150 kVA | Best sold in groups or with other gear |
|---|---|
| Dry-type, 150–1,500 kVA | Steady demand; strong individual value |
| Padmount, single and three phase | High value; we handle rigging and fluid |
| Oil-filled substation class | Highest per-unit value; heavy haul arranged |
| Control and instrument transformers | Bought by the pallet |
| New surplus, never energized | Premium — near-wholesale pricing |
Photographing and preparing a transformer
One photo matters more than all the others: the nameplate. kVA, primary and secondary voltage, phase, impedance, temperature rise, and often the PCB status are all printed there. A legible nameplate photo usually turns into a same-day number.
After that, show us the path out. Doorways, stair runs, dock height, overhead clearance, and how close a truck can get change the equipment we bring and therefore the offer. Photos of the route are worth more to us than extra photos of the transformer.
Do not drain the oil. A drained unit is harder to move safely, and fluid handling is our job. Leave it as it sits, de-energized and disconnected by a qualified electrician, and we will plan the rest.
- Nameplate photo first — it answers most pricing questions
- Show the removal path: doors, stairs, dock, clearance
- Leave fluid in place; we handle containment and transport
- Note anything known about fluid history or testing
- Missing nameplate is not a dealbreaker — send angles and dimensions
Before you scrap anything, send one photo
Scrap is priced by weight. Used electrical equipment is priced by what the next facility needs, and those two numbers are rarely close. A scrapyard has no reason to tell you that the item in your hand keeps a plant running somewhere.
There is no cost to finding out. Text photos to (951) 903-9804 — labels and nameplates if you can get them, wide shots if you cannot — and you will have a real number, usually the same day. If the honest answer is that your lot is only worth scrap, we will tell you that too, and you have lost nothing but a text message.
Common questions
Do you buy oil filled transformers?
Yes, as long as they're non-PCB. Units built after 1979 almost always are; we verify from the nameplate or oil test paperwork before pickup.
What's my transformer worth?
It depends on KVA, voltage, vintage, and condition. Newer dry types resell at strong prices; older units are priced on copper content. Text the nameplate and we'll tell you which side of the line yours falls on.
Can you remove a transformer that's still wired in?
Your electrician needs to disconnect and make it safe first. After that, our riggers take over — skids, crane, transport, all of it at our cost.
Do you buy just one transformer?
All the time. A single 750 KVA padmount is a real check. Send the nameplate photo and find out.
What about PCBs in older transformers?
Units built after 1979 are generally non-PCB, and most nameplates from that era state it. Older units can be tested. If a unit does test high we will tell you plainly what it means for value and disposal rather than going quiet.
Do you buy a single transformer?
Yes for padmounts and larger units, where one transformer justifies the trip. Small dry-types are best grouped or combined with other equipment. Tell us the rating and location and we will be straight about the economics.
Related pages
Ready to sell? Call or text (951) 903-9804 or email photos to sellelectricalequipment@gmail.com.
Got equipment to sell?
Call or text us photos. We'll give you a price and take it from there.