Copper Recycling

Copper Recycling - Very common to be used in the electrical and plumbing trades. Copper is the third leading used metal after iron and aluminum. Copper usage is rapidly expanding as more and more products are containing computer and eletronic components. An exmaple of this is automobiles - 30 years ago a car would contain around 30 to 35 lbs. of copper, that has increased to well over 50 lbs. on average but could contain as much as 80 lbs. A modern Boeing 727 contains about 9,000 lbs. of copper. Copper is one of the first known metals to be used by man, proving this with many ancient artifacts that have been found made of bronze (copper and iron).

As defined in other raw material you have heard a lot about alloys being added to the base metal. Copper on the other hand is more often used in a pure form than any other metal. Resistance to corossion and high conductivity in pure form is already suitable for it's common uses that includes electrical wire, plumbing and heating pipe and cooling or refrigeration tubes. Common terms and information in recycling copper are given below.

Bare Bright

Bare bright is expected to be very clean and pure. This usually will include any 12 gauge solid strand sized wire or larger that has been stripped from it's sheild and is free from tarnish or any other impurities that keeps it from being "bright and shiny" in apperance. Most often MCM stripped wire is the item commonly bought as bare bright but could include other wire that has been stripped also, as defined above.

#1 Copper

This is usually copper pipe that has a "new apparence look" without any solder, paint or corrosion visible and no other forien material. It is ok for this copper pipe to contain small amounts of typical chemical build up inside the pipe as long as the outside still has a new copper apperance. New copper pipe tarnished from just being old still may qualify as a #1 copper. Common material would be copper tubing and HVAC line set.

#2 Copper

This is copper pipe that contains any solder, paint or visable corrosion. Because this contains solder (lead and tin), this copper is often bought from foundries that make brass since it already has some of the the base elements - some also also refine this into pure copper.

#1 Insulated Heavy or MCM

This wire has excellent recovery and usually is very close in price with #2 copper. Common size is ranged from 100 MCM to 1000 MCM, 100 being the smallest.

#1 Insulated

There is a wide range of electrical wire that may be classified as #1 insulated, included is any wire that has strands the size of a 12 gauge solid strand wire or larger and has the defined recycling market recovery. Often 1 through 6 AWG will quaify along with 10 and 12 AWG solid strand wire.

#2 Insulated Heavy

This wire is uncommon but still recycled. This will ususally have a recovery similar to #1 insulated and includes MCM like wire that has a tin layer over the copper. There are other less common types of #2 insulated heavy also.

#2 Insulated

As mentioned with #1 insulated and the wide range of differnt wire types, there is even a wider range with #2 insulated. Most all wire that has smaller strands than a 12 AWG solid wire or a less defined recovery than #1 insulated will be #2 insulated. This includes but not limited to 8 through 12 AWG stranded and any 14 through 30 AWG wire. Most telecommunication wire will also be placed into #2 insulated such as cat4, cat5, cat6 and other ethernet and standard phone cords. Another example of #2 insulated are most 110 outlet cords and extention cords.

Romex

Very common wire used in wiring homes and is concidered a mid recovery insulated grade. Often you'll find the price to be in between that of #1 insulated & #2 insulated wire.

Copper Radiator

We also purchase copper radiators. These usually are a combination of copper and brass. The copper is the "fins" of the radiator but the rest usually is brass. These are being less commonly used in modern vehicles as aluminum radiator technology seems to be taking over in cooling an engine.

Copper Bearing

This is low recovery copper that includes motors and other electronic devices. Prices are extremely lower than other copper items.

Other less common copper items or their referred terms that we purchase include jelly wire, high voltage, 100 pair, 200 pair, 500 pair, 750 pair, 1000 pair, IDE cable, copper light, 90/10 and others. All types of copper wire is purchased and most other items containing copper.