Home / Used and remanufactured pad mounted transformers
Used and remanufactured pad mounted transformers
When new units are a year out, a remanufactured transformer is a legitimate answer and utilities buy them routinely. It is only a bad idea when nobody can show you the test reports.
Test reports to demand before you pay
- Dissolved gas analysis. Reads the oil for the by-products of internal arcing and overheating. This is the single most informative test on a used unit.
- Oil quality. Dielectric strength, moisture, acidity. Tells you whether the fluid is serviceable or needs replacing.
- Turns ratio, on every tap. Confirms the windings are intact and the taps actually work.
- Insulation resistance and power factor. The condition of the insulation system, which is what ultimately fails.
- PCB screen if built before 1979. Non negotiable. A contaminated unit is a disposal liability, not an asset.
A photograph of the nameplate plus a current dissolved gas analysis tells you more about a used transformer than any description a seller writes. If a seller will not provide both, that is the answer.
New against remanufactured
| New | Remanufactured | |
|---|---|---|
| Lead time | 40 to 60 weeks | Days to weeks |
| Price | Full | Typically 50 to 70 percent |
| Efficiency | Meets DOE 2016 | Often pre-2016, higher losses |
| Warranty | Usually 12 to 24 months | Usually 12 months from the remanufacturer |
| Records | Factory test report | Only as good as the shop that did it |
The efficiency line is the one people skip. A pre-2016 unit burns the saving back over a thirty year life, so a remanufactured transformer is strongest when the driver is the date rather than the budget.
Who remanufactures
We quote new and remanufactured side by side and tell you the age and the test status of anything used. Send the spec or call 786 220 2801.