need help Id scrap wire

[creeper71]

I know this is going to sound like a dumb question to the seasoned scrappers, but I was tearing a rug cleaner apart an some of the wires are silver in color I would like to know what kinda metal they are also any tell me how to get the copper coils apart to get the wire? an could you tell me what grade of copper they use in the coils?? as you can tell I never done this before an need help..lol Thank you for your help

[cyberdan]

some of the wires are silver in color I would like to know what kinda metal they are

I bought a bunch of wire on a spool and it was marked for marine use, it also said tinned copper. I called my recycler, he said keep it separate but he will pay for #2 copper. That might be what you have.

[creeper71]

some of the wires are silver in color I would like to know what kinda metal they are

I bought a bunch of wire on a spool and it was marked for marine use, it also said tinned copper. I called my recycler, he said keep it separate but he will pay for #2 copper. That might be what you have.

that would have a silver color? the wire it's self not the plastic coating

[hobo finds]

Could be alum wire. Before you break up the motor windings scratch the copper to see if it is indeed copper. There are lots of motors that have copper colored alum wire on them. If they are alum just put them in with your elect motor pile as is.

[creeper71]

Could be alum wire. Before you break up the motor windings scratch the copper to see if it is indeed copper. There are lots of motors that have copper colored alum wire on them. If they are alum just put them in with your elect motor pile as is.

wow more to know then I thought..lol how do you break them up if they are copper? I have 4 more to take apart an a 70's microwave...

[bjybjy]

The silver wire could be tinned copper, or it could be aluminum wire. Cut it, or take a file to the side of the wire. Look at it in bright light and if it is tinner copper you'll see the nice pinkish color peak out from the coating.

Some people break apart the transformers and motors with a grinder, some take a hatchet to the transformers, personally I don't have the workspace so I leave them whole.

[creeper71]

The silver wire could be tinned copper, or it could be aluminum wire. Cut it, or take a file to the side of the wire. Look at it in bright light and if it is tinner copper you'll see the nice pinkish color peak out from the coating.

Some people break apart the transformers and motors with a grinder, some take a hatchet to the transformers, personally I don't have the workspace so I leave them whole.

Thank you for your help, I really don't have the space either how much are they worth whole?

[bjybjy]

The silver wire could be tinned copper, or it could be aluminum wire. Cut it, or take a file to the side of the wire. Look at it in bright light and if it is tinner copper you'll see the nice pinkish color peak out from the coating.

Some people break apart the transformers and motors with a grinder, some take a hatchet to the transformers, personally I don't have the workspace so I leave them whole.

Thank you for your help, I really don't have the space either how much are they worth whole?

One thing you'll learn quickly is that prices vary quite a bit from yard to yard, and one yard may may tops in the area for copper but the least for steel. You can call them on the phone and ask for prices, in this case electric motors or copper breakage, and they'll tell you.

Around here I get about $.25/lb for motors, give or take a few cents depending on the price of copper. My local yard pays about $.10 more per pound if you take in 500+ lbs at once.

I think on average if you take the time to break down the motors/transformers you'll get about 150-200% of the money that you would have if you had sold them whole but it takes a lot of time and often specialized tools so you have to decide which you'll do. When I get motors that are easily broken down with handtools I do it, but the big transformers and well built encased motors get sold whole. Hope that helps. Cheers