Silver contacts?

you need to use a torch. don't melt the contact If ti's a house breaker they are made most of the time with tungsten oxide and silver so you can't melt them. heat the back of the contact and when hot enough tap into a can of scrape it off with the edge of a can. If you are having them refined it is worth while to see if your refiner would use the #2 copper from the breakers. this will ensure that the silver solder is able to reclaimed and will increase the yield. If you are selling them than this is not a concern. If you want them refined see my signature line as I can help you.

Eric

Also, if they are the larger contacts be careful not to heat them up to the point smoke evolves because there very well could be cadmium associated with the silver contacts. On the larger ones, cadmium is used to prevent scoring/scaring if the electricity arks. And cadmium is not a very healthy thing to breath. It can prove to be deadly.

Scott

Originally Posted by wannabemechanic

I tried this tonight (outside of course), heating to increasing temperatures on each attempt, but even getting them red hot, the silver part wouldn't come off of the copper with prying even. Am I doing something wrong, or is it just the contacts that I have?


PS Getting frustrated and beating on one with a hammer, though quite cathartic.... doesn't work either for separating them.

Can you post a pic of the Cu and contact with something next to it to compare size too. I was frustrated the first few times. I wasn't giving it enough heat.


Eric

when I heat them I like to tap them on something to jar them some, or use a screwdriver to flick them off. It seems to help. Remember to heat the back not the contact.

thoes contacts run about 0.55-0.75 apiece in silver.

Eric

Well you could get those off with a dremel, but it wont be fun, you probably go thru $2 worth of discs so it wouldnt be worth it. Just save them up and sell them off on ebay at some point when you have alot. I wouldnt sell them at brass price or you looking at $1.50 pound. Save them up and sell them to a refiner you could probably get 30 cents each if theyre saying there worth in the .55-75 range

Originally Posted by wannabemechanic

If I leave them on the Cu/brass, would it be better to leave them "long" or to cut them off next to the solder?

cut them off close to the solder, it will improve the yield per pound and reduce the shipping weight

try taking 2 pairs of pliers or a pair of pliers and a cutter to break off the excess metal, you can use tin snips on the thin metal. There is no reason to use a grinder on those.

Originally Posted by wannabemechanic

If I leave them on the Cu/brass, would it be better to leave them "long" or to cut them off next to the solder?

If you want them refined don'y cut them off. It is then harder to remove the Cu with a torch and will cost you more. This will also reduce the amount you will get from Ebay as people see that and bid even lower.

Eric

i processed some circuit breakers today and i was able to break the contact tips off some of them with needle nose pliers. Other ones i just trimmed. Guess whem im up to a few pounds i will break them down further with a heat gun. Whats the value per pound of clean contacts?

Originally Posted by jghilino

i processed some circuit breakers today and i was able to break the contact tips off some of them with needle nose pliers. Other ones i just trimmed. Guess whem im up to a few pounds i will break them down further with a heat gun. Whats the value per pound of clean contacts?

That's not real easy to answer. the way you are described is in house breakers. those are most likely AgWO(silver tungsten oxide). Those run about 40% Ag if you were to sell them you should expect 60% of ASW(actual silver weight) 453g * 40%= 181g (ASW) *60%= 108.7g / 31.1 * spot (29.96)= $104.73 is what you can expect. If you cut off the buss bar and don't remove it expect to be paid less for the work you are making for the refiner.

remember waffle backs are worth around 40% ASW and others run as a mix 80% or better ASW

AgWO contacts cost more to run cause they are harder to work with they take two to three times as long to dissolve and half as much silver.

Not all refiners have the same payout and this is what is common on buying out right not with toll refining.

Eric

etack heres what ive prepared so far, this is from about 15 breakers. Most of them are the fpe stab lok brand made back in the 1950's. I still have another 50 breakers to process. Are these 40%/60% as you mentioned above or are these a different yield?

jghilino what you have pictured looks to be AgWO contacts running at around 40%. This is a pic of the waffle back I am talking about. you can see this in your pics in the bottom right hand corner. Also please remember that with any contact there are TWO contacts.



If you want those removed from the buss bar use a torch. A heat gun will not work you need a torch that is high BTU propane or oxy Acetylene. Over the summer I did some test on home breakers around 200# and found them to run around $1.00# They are a lot of work if you don't have a ball mill. The Cu per was next to nothing about $40.00 in Cu. with some shred mix in and a touch of Al. If you have the time they are a nice bonus.


Eric

when the funds/time allows i will get more breakers processed and get a mapp gas torch