Transformers · Substations · Switchgear

Transformer, substation and switchgear sourcing

Daverlan is an independent sourcing company. Send a rating, a single line diagram or a full bill of materials. We check it for gaps, source against it, and set the quotations out so scope, standard and delivery terms can be compared.

IEC, EN and IEEE specifications · Ratings in kVA and MVA · English and German

Equipment
Transformers, substations, switchgear
Rating basis
kVA and MVA
Specification
IEC, EN or IEEE

Start with the requirement

Five fields · not sure is a valid answer

Anything missing is raised before the request reaches a supplier.

What we source

Four families · specified by rating, voltage and site

Prefabricated compact substation in a light concrete enclosure with dark ventilated doors, set on site with red cable ducts in the foreground
Photo: Pavvel70, CC BY 4.0, source.

Substations

Compact, secondary and package substations, with the transformer, the medium voltage switching and the low voltage board specified as one arrangement.

PrefabricatedIEC 62271-202
Outline drawing, not a specific unit.

Switchgear

Medium voltage switchgear, ring main units and low voltage switchboards, specified by rated voltage, rated current, short circuit rating and insulation medium.

MV · LV · RMUIEC 62271-200 · IEC 61439

Shown for illustration. Not a product of this company, and no stock or manufacturer relationship is implied. Full image credits

Who sends us requests

Six kinds of buyer, each arriving with a different starting document.

BuyerUsually arrives withStart here
Electrical contractorsA rating and voltages from the design, and a date tied to the programmeRequest a quote
EPCs and engineering firmsEquipment schedules, single line diagrams and specifications covering several packagesUpload the specification
Industrial facilitiesNameplate data of a unit being replaced, or a load increase to size againstIndustrial facilities
Commercial and data centre teamsA redundancy scheme, transformer and LV board ratings, and indoor constraintsData centres
Utilities and network operatorsNetwork specifications and standard ratings, often for several unitsUtilities and infrastructure
Equipment dealersRatings or models to source for their own customersRequest a quote

How a request is handled

  1. 01

    Review

    The request is checked against a fixed set of fields. Gaps and contradictions are raised with you first.

  2. 02

    Confirm

    The standard, the loss rules and any restriction at the destination are confirmed, not assumed.

  3. 03

    Source

    Equipment is sourced against the specification rather than against one supplier's range.

  4. 04

    Compare

    Quotations are set out on one basis: scope, standard, documents, condition, delivery terms and validity.

  5. 05

    Order

    The order is placed against the agreed specification, with the documents the quotation lists.

What you can expect

One request, several packages
Transformers, switchgear and substations can sit in the same request.
Gaps raised early
Missing voltages, standards or dates are raised before a supplier sees the request.
Comparable quotations
Offers come back on the same basis, so the difference between them is visible.
A plain no
If a request is not something we can source well, we say so.
New by default
Surplus or refurbished units are considered only when you ask for them and their condition can be documented.

How manufacturers are chosen, and who is responsible for what

Find a transformer by rating

Standard ratings, with the full load current that sizes the low voltage side.

RatingCurrent at 400 VCurrent at 433 VDistributionDry type
100 kVA144 A133 A
160 kVA231 A213 A
200 kVA289 A267 A
250 kVA361 A333 A
315 kVA455 A420 A
400 kVA577 A533 A
500 kVA722 A667 A
630 kVA909 A840 AView
800 kVA1155 A1067 A
1000 kVA1443 A1333 AViewView
1250 kVA1804 A1667 A
1600 kVA2309 A2133 AViewView
2000 kVA2887 A2667 A
2500 kVA3608 A3333 AView

Currents are calculated as S / (√3 × V) and rounded. Impedance, dimensions, weight and declared losses belong to the unit offered and come with the quotation.

Standards and destinations

Specifications written to IEC and EN standards are accepted, and so are IEEE specifications for 60 Hz markets. Which standard governs at the destination, and whether the network operator adds its own requirements, is confirmed for each request rather than assumed.

Some destinations add rules of their own. In the EU and Great Britain, transformers within scope must meet the ecodesign loss limits, and in the EU new SF6 switchgear up to 24 kV may not be put into operation from 1 January 2026, with limited exemptions.

StandardCovers
IEC 60076Power transformers, with dry type transformers in part 11
IEEE C57.12.00Liquid immersed distribution and power transformers, general requirements
IEEE C57.12.34Pad mounted, three phase distribution transformers, 10 MVA and smaller
IEC 62271-202Prefabricated substations, above 1 kV up to and including 52 kV
IEC 62271-200Metal enclosed AC switchgear, above 1 kV up to and including 52 kV
IEC 61439-1 and -2Low voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies

Applications

All industries

Each application is a different equipment chain.

Data centres

Single line arrangement: GRID to MV SWITCHGEAR to TRANSFORMER to LV BOARD to UPSGRIDMVSWITCHGEARTRANSFORMERLVBOARDUPS

Redundancy decides how many transformers there are and how each is loaded.

Industrial facilities

Single line arrangement: GRID to MV SWITCHGEAR to TRANSFORMER to LV BOARD to PROCESSGRIDMVSWITCHGEARTRANSFORMERLVBOARDPROCESS

Motor starting decides the rating more often than the running load.

Commercial buildings

Single line arrangement: NETWORK to SUBSTATION to LV SWITCHBOARD to RISERSNETWORKSUBSTATIONLVSWITCHBOARDRISERS

Space, access and fire rules usually decide between dry type and liquid filled.

Renewable energy connections

Single line arrangement: GENERATION to TRANSFORMER to MV SWITCHGEAR to GRIDGENERATIONTRANSFORMERMVSWITCHGEARGRID

Export duty and the network operator's protection requirements govern the arrangement.

Tools and technical resources

Tools and reference material, free to use. The reference pages carry no sales action.

TypeTitlePurposeLink
ToolTransformer sizing calculatorFrom a load in kW to a standard rating, then a quote request with the values filled inView
CalculatorkVA to amps calculatorConvert a rating to the current that sizes the boardView
ReferenceTransformer loss limitsThe EU and GB tier 2 maximum losses for every rating in the tablesView
GuideTransformer sizing guideHow a rating is decided, and what makes estimates wrongView
ReferenceStandards cross referenceWhich standard governs which equipment, and what replaced whatView

Have a specification, drawing or bill of materials?

Upload it once. Gaps are raised before it reaches a supplier.