Large Or Small, Pour Transformer Pads With Volumetric Mixers
Perfectly placed inside substations, transformer pads have an integral role in any electric grid. But more often than not, placing concrete becomes an adventure in strategy due to tight spaces. Read on to learn about transformer pads and how concrete contractors use volumetric concrete mixers to place the right amount in small spaces!
What Is A Transformer Box?
Transformer boxes balance efficiency and safety by changing the voltage level flowing through a power grid. These electrical boxes range in size from 3’ x 3’ x 2’ to 7’ x 7’ x 6’ and weigh 8,000 to 23,000 lbs. The standard three-phase transformers range in kilovolt ampere (kVA) from 3 kVA to 1,000 kVA. They can be stored below ground in an underground transformer box inside a concrete transformer vault or above ground on a pad.
When Is An Electrical Transformer Pad Used?
An electrical transformer pad is commonly used to protect the cables inside a transformer box from damage caused by frost or ground settling. Whether form-built or precast, it’s generally discouraged to have it located near:
- Doors and/or windows;
- Fire escapes;
- Fire hydrants;
- Ventilation ducts; and/or
- Building overhangs.
To ensure stability, the concrete pads are framed by lumber and have a minimum design strength of 4,000 PSI. A pad may be as big as 100” x 96” x 6” when supporting a big three-phase transformer. Such a large area requires the right equipment to ensure a high-quality pour.
Efficient & Timely Utility Work
Pavement Restorations, Inc. (PRI), based in Milan, Tennessee, began in 2008 focusing on asphalt repair but has grown and expanded into concrete services. The company handles numerous projects throughout the growing Nashville, Tennessee area, including work for Nashville Electric Service. When a new utility pad was needed at a local substation, PRI used a Cemen Tech C60 to pour the pad. Fresh concrete emptied into the bucket of a skid loader that carried and poured it at the site.
Precise Amounts, Reduced Material Use
Uneven amounts and wasted materials get in the way when pouring concrete for transformer pads. These issues are avoided with the Cemen Tech C Series volumetric mixer. When using your unit, the costs of outsourcing and contracting decrease. While being cost-effective, this fully automated concrete mixer can stop and start as needed — workers don’t need to rush in to get a job done as soon as possible. The single operator can pour concrete in a variety of shapes in sizes. As a result, electrical transformer pads and concrete transformer vaults place with ease, efficiency, and little downtime.
For more information about Cemen Tech’s line of volumetric products, contact us today!