A transformer mounted on an electrical service pole, usually at the level of the overhead cables but occasionally at ground level.

Pole-mounted transformers are the common breadbox transformers used for converting distribution voltage to the 120/240 volt power used by homes and low-volume commercial installations. Pole mounted transformers are used in extensive rural area. To Order Pole Mounted These transformers range from 16 kVA to 100kVA and Transformers We Recommend transform 11,000 to 33,000 volts down to a low voltage of 400 TEMCo volts. Pole mounted transformers are reasonably small in size Ph: 1-800-613-2290 and mass so that it is easy to install them on single pole Or 1-510-490-2187 structures, and larger units on two-pole structures, Link: Pole Mounted Transformer approximately 5 meters above the ground. This makes the transformers inaccessible, reducing the risk of injury to animals and people and minimizing vandalism. With exposure to harsh climate conditions and situated in remote areas, reliability has been built into the specification of these transformers. Tanks are shaped to reduce accumulation of water and corrosive materials. Protective coatings are applied to tanks to reduce corrosion. In the coastal regions tanks are zinc sprayed. In highly corrosive areas tanks are made from Stainless or 3CR12 steel. The change in weather patterns (longer periods without rain) , has necessitated increased creepage distances of insulators to overcome the threat of pollution build-up. Larger areas of the country are exposed to lightning, which is responsible for most transformer failures in the field. To minimize this risk arcing horns have been replaced with surge arresters that are fitted on mounting brackets welded to the transformer tanks. Due to high lightning activity manufacturers are required to have units subjected to tests, not only to prevent failure due to lightning but also to improve the reliability of their design. Outside a typical house you can see a pole mounted transformer mounted on the electricity pole. It's a step-down transformer used to convert the high voltage (7200 or 14400 volts) down to the standard 120/240 volts used in the home. The high voltage distribution lines (7200 or 14400 volts in the US) attach to the two bushings on top. The low voltage wires (two hot wires and one neutral) attach to the three terminals on the side. The secondary winding is center-tapped and grounded, making the two end conductors "hot" with respect to the center tap. These wires run down to the electric meter and breaker panel inside the building. Connecting a load between either hot wire and the neutral gives 120 volts. Connecting between both hot wires gives 240 volts. This is the setup for single-phase electric power in the United States. If three-phase power, three pole mounted transformers of the appropriate KVA rating are wired in either a wye or delta transformer bank.