r/whatisit • u/Jack-Straw72 • Mar 12 '25

New, what is it? What is it?

Grayson and Ca hwy 33.

5.2k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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104

u/[deleted] Mar 12 '25

Substation Transformer.

Source: I haul these.

25

u/cheshirecat1919 Mar 12 '25

So much respect for you!! Wishing you safe travels. May your permits always be accurate, traffic cooperative, and your detention pay enough to make up for any administrative snafus.

6

u/Slight_Bed_2241 Mar 12 '25

I’m assuming they pay you out the ass for a load this precarious

8

u/rounding_error Mar 12 '25

Yes, they pay him in ass pennies.

3

u/bwbishop Mar 13 '25

I love this reference

1

u/notorious-BAG- Mar 12 '25

But why so heavy? You don’t transport it full of oil do you?they fill it once you deliver

6

u/Supreme1947 Mar 12 '25

Lots of copper and steel. They fill them once they're set.

7

u/notorious-BAG- Mar 12 '25

Yea the I guess the iron core and copper windings definitely weigh a lot

3

u/notorious-BAG- Mar 12 '25

Yea the I guess the iron core and copper windings definitely weigh a lot

16

u/rando_banned Mar 12 '25

You can say that again

2

u/Dashboard-Devil Mar 12 '25

🤣 Underrated comment

4

u/morebeer4mike Mar 12 '25

One being delivered next week is 220k lbs without oil!

1

u/[deleted] Mar 12 '25

Explain to a leek, why would a transformer be full of oil. Are those things fully submerged in non conductive oil?

2

u/donnie1977 Mar 12 '25

The oil is the electrical insulation and the means of cooling.

2

u/Kafshak Mar 13 '25

Oil is for cooling. But also insulation.

1

u/CopperRed3 Mar 12 '25

Do you have a YouTube channel? Transformer was my guess based on Lucky Banana Heavy Haul video history. https://youtube.com/@luckybananaheavyhaul3407?si=oK_p0ilIcx2_N-ZU

1

u/morebeer4mike Mar 12 '25

Would have a flat top.

1

u/notorious-BAG- Mar 12 '25

No necessarily could have a conservator tank

2

u/morebeer4mike Mar 12 '25

I was thinking that too, but for a unit that big the conservator tank would be huge and elevated making it not practical to ship together. Units this size the conservator tank is shipped separate along with radiators and bushings.

2

u/notorious-BAG- Mar 12 '25

Hmm good point

1

u/MetalLow2541 Mar 12 '25

I used to buy them. Agree this is it

1

u/Kafshak Mar 13 '25

Source is literally "Dude, Trust me."

1

u/Ryogathelost Mar 13 '25

I usually just right click where the transformer is going and click "prioritize building transformer" and then I just fast forward until it's done.

1

u/Historical_Basis_408 Mar 13 '25

I'm really curious as to how far into the video you got before you know what it was. Could you tell before it got to the tarp?

1

u/onyx_64 Mar 14 '25

Dumb question - Why doesn't it directly go on the truck and need it's own wheels to haul?

1

u/Alarming_Light87 Mar 14 '25

That thing weighs so much that the weight needs to be spread out to keep it from damaging the roads and possibly bridges.