I took 100 pounds of scrap romex and other insulated wire to the junk yard the other day. Man, was I disappointed when the scale guy handed me a $20 bill!! All that effort, for $20. Waste of time!!

I asked the guy what the deal was and he said the last time copper paid anything decent was back in '97.

New romex is just as cheap, probably for the last 4 or 5 years that I can remember. I don't think I've seen a 250' coil of 12/2 sell for more than $20-22 in that time.

Is there a glut of copper on the market or something? new manufacturing technique? Anyone know?

-Peter

[This message has been edited by CTwireman (edited 05-31-2003).]

Not long ago i spent two full days hacking,grinding,sawing at an old constant current transformer (used to control/feed air field lighting)until i arrived at the end product, a solid copper transformer that needed two men to lift.

Rubbing my hands together wandering what i should spend my well earned wedge on, i set off for the scrap yard, dropped it on the scales and like your self, felt like hitting the bloke with my brused and cut hands. Ever since, i haven't even considered weighing anythink else in.

As for the reason prices are so low, sorry haven't a clue?


[This message has been edited by james S (edited 05-31-2003).]

Around here, they pay more for copper ONLY if ALL the insulation is removed first.

Hello from South Dakota.


I did some demo work at the local University back in August of last year, and was able to take all of the old disco's and panel boards with me. Spent two days tearing them all apart and busting my knuckels in the process.

When i took all of the solid copper buss bars to the salvage yard, I had a heart attack when I only got $73.22. I thought it was just a local thing.

Jon

I thought last year I got over .50/lb for bare copper??

I know that insulated was much less and jacketed stuff and BX was almost worthless because of all the labor involved for them to strip it.

Bill

Clean copper #1 ( Size 4 and larger) brings .55/lb here.

My, how times have changed. Copper is at an all time high. Two and a half years later, 12/2 Romex is $55 for 250' (Lowes). In June '03 (original post), copper was about $1 per pound. Now it's $2.11 a pound. Makes me wish I would've invested in romex, copper pipe, and saved the scrap copper flashing from a neighbor's roof that he had me haul away. Next time copper is low, I'll buy as much as I can.
-Josh

Clean copper goes for $2.00/lb. for #4 or bigger. $1.50 for #6 and smaller. No insulation. Here in N.Y.C.

1.60lb for all-brite
1.50lb for #1 copper
and down from there.

Trenton NJ area


Dnk....

Something is wrong, copper scrap has never been higher, you may be selling to a reseller, they pay less then a scrap dealer.
We check the market price on the net or in the paper before we bring ours in.

# 1 Copper is supposed to be $1.50 a lb in Oakland,Ca.


In reply to post #1 20 to 30 cents a pound for insulated wire about right.

Check your pockets.....find any pennies? Ever wonder how many pennies there are in a pound?

A penny is about as clean a form of copper you're likely to see. Consider their "pound count" an upper limit on coper prices. As long as pennies are in circulation, you can be sure that scrap values will be less than the "pound count."

So how many are in a pound? 130? 150? 180? Get yourself a couple rolls, use the scale at the post office- and you'll have your answer.

"New romex is just as cheap, probably for the last 4 or 5 years that I can remember. I don't think I've seen a 250' coil of 12/2 sell for more than $20-22 in that time."

When I first read that I was like.... huh?

Then I saw the date stamp.

I hadn't realized the price has doubled in just 3 years.

Pennies have not been pure copper for a long time and since 1982 have been 97.6% zinc, and 2.4% copper.

If they where pure copper it would pay to scrap them.

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 12-14-2005).]

The only thing pennies are good for is shot pin washers.

Here is a good link to the various grades and prices of copper. http://www.recycle.net/Metal-N/Copper/index.html
Around here right now good clean copper is going for about .90/lb.

Its $1.50/lb here. Its about 35 cents if it has the insulation on.

On Oct. 24th in San francisco, I was paid $1.34 for #1 copper and $.60 for insulated #1. Insulated Al was $.25 and #2 copper was $1.28.

steve

Collect cans from the Job Site and return them for the 5 cents per.

You will make more money.