burned out transformers

[mresistor]

Just wondering what you'all do with all the burned out transformers..   I'm getting quite a collection of them.
Do you take the copper wire out and recycle?   recycle the steel?   

[pompeiisneaks]

That or you could try and rewind them :D You'd need to know the winding count and wire type and if you don't have a means of counting windings as something spins, it's going to be a huge pain in the arse :D  I researched that at one point out of curiosity, and its non trivial.

~Phil

[PRR]

Scrap dealers have a price for "motors", mixed copper and steel. (Also, I learn, for transformers, different but similar.)

I have no idea how that compares to separating the metals; I suspect there is some market for copper-steel mix in small quantities for making copper-bearing steel. So they may save-up enough motors and transformers to make a load in the arc-furnace, burn the oil and insulation out, and pour copper-iron ingots.

Scrap insul copper Wire    $1.45 lb.
Scrap Electric Motors   $0.10 lb.
Scrap Sheet Iron   $100 gt  (gross ton? then $0.045 lb.)
https://www.877ironmike.com/metal-prices

#1 Bare Bright Wire    $2.40/lb
Insulated Copper Wire (Cat 5/6)    $0.50/lb
Copper Transformers    $0.08-$0.17/lb
Electric Motors    $0.10-$0.13/lb
https://rockawayrecycling.com/metal/electric-motors/

https://www.scrapmonster.com/scrap-prices/category/Copper-Scrap/128/1/1

So it comes down to take-apart labor. Also volume. You can't set-up an all-day job for a low-pay worker with the small pile in most amplifier shops. The fact that motors/transformers have a set price, at several dealers, implies that most folks do not disassemble their copper-iron.

[PRR]

I had 30 pounds of clean copper pipe, except I did not know to remove the speck of iron in the valves. At the time clean copper was $3. The dealer is 40 miles away. The lower price I got, plus $5 for more iron scrap than I could lift, just barely covered my gas there and back. (We had a good meal nearby and called it fun.)

[shooter]

I did not know to remove

yup, now I carry my loppers and dikes
it's not worth striping off the copper from small units, unless you're bored 
a 480 3ph, maybe 

[DummyLoad]

door stops. 
however, transformer doorstops may hurt yer tootsies if barefoot tho. 
build a trebuchet and launch them at neighbors who call the cops - kidding of course! 
city i live in allows us to toss them in recycle for collection now. not worth the trip to the scrap yard here. check your with your municipalities waste management offices.
selling as bulk you're not going to get much from the scrapyard. stripping the copper wire to sell isn't worth it IMO.

--pete

[mresistor]

lmao Pete -   I tought of taking a small sledge hammer and just knocking the copper guts out of them..  is that possible?  Guess I could try.  Certainly dirty copper should be of more value then copper steel mix.
My scrap yard is appx a mile away..  so the expense to get there isn't much.  The OT out of the B15S might be worthy of rewind consideration.. if ... I could do it myself.
PRR hope you had a nice meal and a brew..
When I was younger there was a man living in a stone house near the RR tracks and he had a huge pot (crucible, furnace) don't know what to call it, but he reclaimed metals by melting them. He looked like a mad scientist to me. But now I wish I would have paid more attention and asked him questions.. I was trying to date his beautiful daughter..  LOL  I think he was mainly going for precious metals. 

[DummyLoad]

EI core transformers are fairly easy to take apart. remove the bolts and endbells, and as you state, a sharp rap with a hammer is usually all it takes to break the varnish. some folks just drop them or slam them down on concrete. i like my toes, so i use a hammer. the laminations usually come out several at a time. once you have just the core, affix it in a vice and use a sawsall to cut the core down one side. peel the wire out and toss the bobbin.   


--pete