Which appliance contains the most copper?

Copper is actively used in almost all spheres of life, and in terms of the amount of production in the world, this metal ranks third after aluminum and iron. However, the world’s reserves of valuable resources are not endless. Therefore, the issue of accepting recyclable materials is very relevant. Copper is a semiconductor; it has high electrical and thermal conductivity, so it is widely used in the production of various electrical devices: air conditioners, refrigerators, transformers. Copper is used to make electrical cables and wires, and plumbing products. This metal is added to dyes and food additives, used in construction, the production of cars, ships, and used for printed circuit boards. As you can see, it is difficult to name an area where this valuable metal is not used. Therefore, scrap metal collection points pay very well for copper, because it can be given a second life.

Where to find copper at home

• tube and CRT televisions;
• refrigerators;
• transformers;
• electric motors, starters, relays;
• washing machine components;
• hair dryers, air conditioners and microwave ovens;
• plumbing;
• decorative elements and decorations;
• dishes;
• heating radiators;
• Computers

So if you intend to throw something off this list in the near future, take the time to first remove the copper from them and scrap it.

How much copper can be extracted from one device

Many people don’t want to take the time to mine the copper of their old equipment, thinking that the amount of valuable metal is not that great. In vain! Here’s how much copper you can mine:

• almost five kilograms of metal are in the car;
• there is about three kilograms of copper in the refrigerator engine;
• 500 grams of metal can be extracted from a tube TV;
• CRT TV contains up to half a kilogram of copper in different units.

Hundreds of kilograms of copper are found in various transformers. The more powerful and voluminous it is, the more valuable copper there is. Other electrical appliances – hair dryers, microwaves, relays, magnetic starters, washing machines, and so on – also contain copper in sufficient quantities.

So in landfills of old household appliances, where devices with copper are thrown away, you can quite find a decent amount of valuable metal.

Please note: electrical copper is considered the most valuable and in demand. The fact is that it contains the smallest amount of alloys, so it is expensive. The better copper is purified from other metals, the higher its value. Therefore, it is important to properly separate the copper when dismantling old appliances and equipment. To do this, you need to use special devices and tools and perform disassembly correctly.

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The amount of remuneration for the metal supplier depends on two factors: the type and quantity of scrap. Copper is considered the most valuable on the secondary market; you can verify this using the price list on the Interlom company website. With the amount of copper scrap, things are more complicated, since manufacturers are increasingly replacing the reddish-red metal with more affordable analogues. Despite certain difficulties, you can find copper scrap in most products that are used in everyday life and industry. To make it easier for you to find the required volume, we will provide a digest of things containing copper.

Electric equipment

This category of scrap includes:

• transformers;
• electric motors;
• cables.

You can count on maximum profit when handing over a transformer, since such a device weighs several hundred kilograms of copper. The attractiveness of extracting copper from electrical equipment is explained by the high purity of the metal (this scrap belongs to the category “electrical copper”; due to the absence of impurities, it is especially highly valued). However, accessing such waste is not so easy. Electrical equipment for recycling can be found at power station service stations.

In such locations you can also find scrap cables – old and damaged cables, as well as cuttings of wires that were left after installation. If the transformer just needs to be disassembled before delivery for ease of transportation, then the cable must also be cleaned of the dielectric sheath. This can be done mechanically and thermally, but to maintain the high cost of scrap, it is better to give preference to the first cleaning method (using the thermal method produces a cheaper “burner”).

Home Appliances

After failure, the devices around us turn into scrap metal, and very valuable one at that. The following types of household appliances have this value:

• TVs;
• washing machines;
• refrigerators;
• microwaves.

From the point of view of the metal supplier, the most valuable are household appliances from the Soviet period, when they did not skimp on copper. For example, a tube TV contains 1-1,5 kg of copper; the valuable metal is found in the inductor, transformer and mounting wires. In the Soviet refrigerator there is even more copper – up to 3 kg of valuable metal, it is located in the compressor, and elements of the freezer are also made from copper.

Unlike electrical equipment, there will be no problems finding household appliances; you need to start from your own garage or balcony. If you don’t have your own scrap, you can find it in publicly accessible places, since old household appliances are thrown away at container sites, spontaneous landfills, on the outskirts of villages and city landfills.

Heating and hot water equipment

The use of copper in electrical equipment and household appliances is associated with the high electrical conductivity of the reddish-red metal, but it is also distinguished by its high thermal conductivity. The latter quality predetermined the use of copper in gas boilers and water heating columns; in these devices the heat exchanger is made of copper. Heating radiator elements are also made from copper.

Heating and hot water equipment can provide good volumes of non-ferrous metal, since a Soviet-era gas water heater alone can contain up to 6 kg of valuable metal. To obtain such volumes, you need to look at the area near companies that specialize in the installation and maintenance of water heating equipment.

Old car

Oddly enough, a car rusting in the yard can also become a source of copper scrap; vehicles contain up to 5 kg of valuable metal. In an old car, copper is contained in electrical wiring, starter, radiator, on-board computer and other elements.

It is worth noting that extracting copper from an old or wrecked car is not an easy task, which requires the performer to have certain skills, tools and free time. If none of this is available, there is an easier way to convert an old car into a significant amount of money – trade it in entirely. In Moscow, this opportunity is provided by the Interlom company. We can even return a car that has lost its driving characteristics, since we accept scrap at the client’s site and then remove it with our own resources and resources.

How to increase your reward

Finding copper is not enough; you also need to know how to sell it profitably. To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to sort the scrap by size, category and origin. During sorting, inclusions of other metals and non-metallic elements of wood, plastic or rubber should be removed from the scrap.

You can get the maximum price only with a fair assessment, which involves determining the quality and quantity of scrap using electronic scales and a metal analyzer in the presence of the deliverer. In Moscow, the Interlom company operates on this principle, offering to hand over copper at a nearby branch or at its facility. To ensure that sending recyclable materials for recycling is as cost-effective as possible, it is necessary to hand over copper scrap in bulk for a cashless payment to the Interlom company.

We accept scrap copper in kilograms and tons from ordinary citizens and organizations. We practice a flexible pricing mechanism and an individual approach. Documenting the relationship ensures transparency of the transaction and the absence of claims from the tax service and other supervisory authorities. To fill out an application for the acceptance of copper scrap, contact our managers, they will advise on any questions and arrange the departure of a collection point on wheels at a time convenient for you.