ext cords value weight question ?

[acevillav]

Hi everybody I am getting ready for garage sale season and will keep an eye out for electrical cords. Is there a rule of thumb as to what an ext cord is worth per foot ? Also how do you guestimate the weight of the scrap brass or copper you buy at sales

Thanks Ace Villa-v

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[hobo finds]

This site may help you figure out if it is worh buying or not... http://www.interfacebus.com/Copper_Wire_AWG_SIze.html

[hobo finds]

picked up 17 lbs phone wire at a sale for $1.00, made $16.00 profit!!

[clovis97]

This is a great question, and one that I've been pondering for a few days.

In general, I just go with my gut instinct that I can make a few bucks off a cord, but why am I doing that?

Most of the time I make pretty decent margins, but I have taken a very small loss a few times.

I think we should start weighing our standard gauge cords, and post them here, so we can figure this out. I'd like to jot down this info and carry it in my wallet...so I can quit the guessing game.

One thought that might skew the results a little: My scrap yard scales are set to the nearest 1/2 pound. For instance, 34 pounds and 7 ounces pays 34 pounds, but 34.8 pays 35 pounds.

[OldSowBreath]

I can't believe I was going to ask this same question today.

What would be the most you would pay for one of those orange 25, 50 or 100 foot orange extension cords you see all the contractors using? I bet Cyberdan could tell us.

[DemonWolfe]

I can't believe I was going to ask this same question today.

What would be the most you would pay for one of those orange 25, 50 or 100 foot orange extension cords you see all the contractors using? I bet Cyberdan could tell us.

Depends on whether they are light duty or medium duty. I have several light duty orange cords and they don't even come close to comparing with the medium duty orange cords I have. Not sure if heavy duty cords come in orange or not... never needed one.

[mick56]

Would'nt any extension cord be #2 insulated? Around here, thats $1 a pound.

[hobo finds]

Yep

[SEANO]

I figure on getting $1lb for cords, if its not at least that high, I'll hold them till it is. For me as a general rule of thumb, the MAX I'd pay is the half the total weight x $1 (that gives me some wiggle room on my weight estimate), but most of the time I usually get them much cheaper than that. You need to get a feel for what something weight, that comes pretty easy with either a little practice (pick-up, guess, weigh) or actual purchases and scrap sales.

Ace, for the second part of your question... Ditto for brass and copper, I just adjust the scrap value and do the same exercise.

[DemonWolfe]

How big of wire do you guys think is worth striping. I have a 25 ft medium duty cord to scrap. The wire really aren't any bigger than wires in a light duty cord but the plastic coating is way thicker so it is going to weigh alot more if I don't strip it. Is it even going to be worth it. On adverage what types of wire is worth the time to strip. I stripped a pair of old jumper cables the other day and they were definantly worth it.

[hobo finds]

found this site... http://dr-copper.com/metaleducation.htm