Estimating tool
Transformer Scrap Value Calculator
Estimate recoverable material and scrap value from kVA rating, construction type and winding material. An estimate to work from — not a quote.
Adjust material prices (defaults are illustrative)
Scrap prices move constantly and vary by region, grade, volume and contamination. Set these to figures you have been quoted recently for a more useful result.
Estimates only. Weights are derived from typical distribution-transformer ratios and vary considerably by manufacturer, vintage, voltage class and construction. This tool does not constitute an offer.
One thing the calculator cannot see: the nameplate. Winding material is the single largest variable in this estimate, and guessing it wrong moves the answer by several multiples. Send us a photo of the plate and we will replace every estimate on this page with a real number.
What actually drives the number
Winding material is the single biggest variable. Copper typically prices at several times aluminum per pound, so two transformers with the same nameplate rating can differ dramatically in value. Check the nameplate before you assume.
Core steel is heavy but low-value per pound. Silicon steel laminations often account for the largest share of weight and the smallest share of value. A quote that prices everything at a single blended rate is usually not in your favour.
Oil is handling, not value. Insulating oil has to be drained under containment and routed for proper handling. Treat it as part of the cost side of the transaction rather than something that adds to the metal value.
Removal is part of the economics. Rigging, spill containment, transport and site access all affect the net. A unit on a pad next to a road and the same unit inside a building three floors down are very different projects.
Transformer scrap — common questions
How much is a scrap transformer worth?
Three variables decide it: total weight, whether the windings are copper or aluminum, and whether the unit is dry-type or oil-filled. Copper windings are worth several times aluminum per pound, so two transformers of identical rating can differ enormously in value. Oil-filled units also carry handling and removal costs that offset part of the metal value.
How accurate is this calculator?
It is an order-of-magnitude estimate, not a quote. Weight is derived from kVA rating using typical distribution-transformer ratios, and actual units vary considerably by manufacturer, vintage, voltage class and construction. Use it to understand what drives the number, then send us nameplate photos for a real figure.
What is inside a transformer that is recyclable?
Copper or aluminum windings, silicon steel core laminations, a steel tank or enclosure, bushings and hardware, and — in oil-filled units — the insulating oil. Windings carry most of the value. Core steel is significant by weight but low in per-pound value. Oil is either a recoverable product or a regulated waste depending on test results.
Does the calculator include removal cost?
No. It estimates the recoverable material only. Rigging, access, distance and transport all affect the net, and a unit sitting on a pad beside a road is a very different project from the same unit three floors inside a building. We quote removal alongside the material value.
Do you buy transformers across Texas?
Yes — single units through full substation teardowns, statewide from our Arlington facility. Removal, rigging, spill containment and DOT-compliant transport included.
Have transformers to move?
Single units through full substation teardowns, anywhere in Texas. Tested, documented, and removed by crews working under an audited safety management system.
