How Long Do Electrical Transformers Last?

electrical transformers

Just like air and water, electricity has become a quintessential part of our lives. We rely heavily on a regular supply of steady electricity. Even though power outages happen disruptively, a reliable power supply is a present-day need.

With the global energy demand increase, the reliability of the health system providing it accelerates. This is inclusive of wiring, circuits and even transformers. Among these, transformers play an important role in allowing large electrical loads to travel over long distances.

And so, it is no exaggeration to mention that regular electricity supply is fundamental for not just an organization’s but a country’s growth as a whole.

Transformers and Why do They Fail?

A transformer is a device build to serves the purpose of voltage manipulation when the supply is carried out through the power grid.

During electricity distribution, transformers usually decrease the voltage making it suitable for commercial and residential purposes.

The transformers usually last for a few decades. However, they can still fail because of several reasons. The most common ones are overloading, wear and tear, corrosion, power strike and lightning strikes.

The transformer temperature is maintained through the mineral oil present in it. However, overcharging can heat it up leading to sparks. This massive pressure can further rupture it.

However, apart from this, an evident question is, do electrical transformers wear out? This depends on the instances that happen.

Do electrical transformers wear out?

During the years of 1950-1980, there was a boom in the infrastructure across Europe and the US. One of them was the electrical transformer requirement. But, the substantial electrical requirement failed to be at par with the transformer installations.

This has further caused the price of new electrical transformer installation to gain traction. All these instances over the past 2 decades have led to the ageing of transformers. This brings us to the question, do electrical transformers wear out? If yes, in how many years? Also, is fixing a transformer an option?

For the prior part, the average lasting of transformers is about 35 years. But, when operated under ideal conditions, including temperature, weather patterns and setting, the expectancy can be 30-40 years.

However, this decreases a bit for industrial transformers making it 20-25 years. This further possesses a growing challenge and a dire need to look for a solution to it.

Is fixing a transformer an option or extending its life?

Once the transformer explodes, it is next to impossible to put it back to use. To prevent such mishaps, a good idea is to fix the issues as soon as discover.

No approach promises immortality of transformers. However, measures can be taken to prolong its operational efficiency and lifespan.

As the transformer ages, it becomes susceptible to several issues that can happen due to overloading, mechanical connections loss causing catastrophic results. This calls for regular maintenance of the transformers and even looking at the place they are installed in.

One of the best approaches to fixing a transformer and increasing its life is the “Fluid Approach”. Under this, dielectric fluids are added to the transformers which having excellent cooling and insulation properties.

Additionally, they offer several benefits, which are:

  • Increased moisture tolerance causing decreased degradation of cellulose paper.
  • Retrofilling, which acts as a major factor in transformer reliability.
  • Replacing the liquid contained in the transformer is a smaller investment as compared to transformer replacement.

 

As such, transformers are one of the most critical infrastructure pieces in the electricity grid. This makes it important to look after the installation of the right ones.

Where to get premium electrical transformers?

If you are looking for a reliable electrical transformer manufacturer in Canada, then we at Electric Power Inc. are here for your service. We provide our customers with a full line of custom-engineered transformers. You can opt for these from a wide variety of voltages, phases, models and frequencies, all developed according to UL And CSA standards.

Wrapping up

So, if you are wondering do electrical transformers wear out, then you are right! Its life efficiency varies highly based on the circumstances, location and the purpose it serves. Contact us to get the transformer installation in your region right away!