Processing A/C compressors (pics)

Today I set aside a group of a/c compressors for my grandson to cut up. The main reason for this is to show the difference in yields between refrigerator and a/c compressors. He started with 11 compressors that weighed 727 pounds. The final numbers were 656 pounds of shred, 20.5 pounds of oil and 48.5 pounds of field copper. The gross return was .25 a pound and a net of .22 a pound.



It took 30 minutes to cut the tops off, remove the windings and drain the oil.



10 minutes to cut the ends off.




And another 30 minutes to pull out the copper for a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes.






So refrigerator compressors have a better yield, but I can get trailer loads of a/c compressors versus pickup loads of refrigerator compressors.

Nice slideshow. Very helpful! Just a quick question, what do you use to get the copper out of the stator so quickly? It looks like some kind of prybar.

Gravitar, it's a seal puller from Sears. NAPA carries the same one with a black handle.

Originally Posted by freonjoe

Gravitar, it's a seal puller from Sears. NAPA carries the same one with a black handle.

Originally Posted by freonjoe

Gravitar, it's a seal puller from Sears. NAPA carries the same one with a black handle.

Ah, thank you! I'm assuming you put one of the hooks in the loop of copper then push it towards the stator and use it as a lever? Very cool idea.

Happy, the most any yard in my area will pay for sealed units is .09 a pound.

Happy, I checked out that website and it has sealed units listed at .25. That would be an awesome way to get rid of compressors with aluminum windings if it wasn't 2700 miles away!

Yes, I am using a plasma cutter. I have a Hypertherm 30 and I run it at 25-30 amps. On 220 volts it has pretty much 100% duty cycle. As far as air pressure, it is internally regulated.

No BOOM! That's one of the advantages of a plasma cutter.

Rambro, plasma cutters don't use a flame so as a rule you don't get any fire to burn things up with.

Thanks fnd, the horses belong to my neighbor lady.

Originally Posted by freonjoe

Rambro, plasma cutters don't use a flame so as a rule you don't get any fire to burn things up with.

Excellent post freonjoe the reason plasma is safer to use cutting oil contaminated scrap is because the plasma stream uses compressed air to remove the molten metal from the melt zone, whereas an oxygen torch using pure oxygen to burn and remove slag from the cut zone. The oxygen torch will give you a volatile blow back cutting oil contaminated scrap especially if you cut into a pocket filled with oil. Which will happen on large cranes and dozers.

I've lost facial hair more times than I care to remember cutting up heavy equipment.

Says right on your oxygen gauge use no oil.