No Short Circuits for Barnhart in Transformer Replacement at Kansas Power Plant

Miserable weather and poor conditions did not thwart Barnhart Crane and Rigging's success when installing a massive 500-ton transformer at a Midwest power plant. Although taking the old transformer out posed no problems, installing the new transformer proved to be quite a challenge.



Fortunately for the power plant and customer, Barnhart loves to take on challenging jobs. Project Manager Bob Possel later explained why this project was so exceptional.

"We typically don't change out 500-ton transformers," Possel said. "I would say the typical transformers that we handle on average are approximately 200 tons."

To unload the Transformer from the Schnabel railroad car, Barnhart employed four 300-ton jacks, pull-up gantries, and a slide system. The staff slid the transformer to a ten line double-wide hydraulic platform trailer. At the request of the owner, the crew staged the component on slide beams so the transformer could be partially dressed out prior to the outage.

During the outage time was saved. A second Barnhart crew mobilized to site to slide the transformer across the road during the night for staging. However, the crew ran into a significant hurdle that tested the team.



"The new transformer was significantly heavier than the old one causing ground bearing issues," Possel said.

To overcome this issue, the team strategically placed additional matting to resolve the problem. Timbers, along with an extra truckload of steel crane mats, provided the timely solution.

Barnhart ultimately completed the project safety and in a reasonable amount of time, all to the satisfaction of the customer.

"The customer was pleased with our services," Possel said. "[He] wants us to replace a similar transformer at another plant."


For more information, please visit the official Barnhart Crane and Rigging website. Or you may be interested in their Crane Service, Machinery Moving, or Heavy Rigging pages.