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Copper Wire Grading

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  1. #1
    Mick's Avatar
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    This is about the best I could come up with to meet your criteria: http://www.indianmetals.com/categori...opperspec.html

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    I think it's at the discretion of the yard cause at my yard they will take yoke wire and degaussing wire if it is still clear looking as #1 but colored in any way is #2.
    Also, the ribbon wire with the ends off go as #2 ins.
    Last edited by Mechanic688; 09-18-2011 at 12:09 AM.
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    I wondered too what was up with the whole #2 pencil thing...if the color is right seems it should all melt the same. I never put the stranded stuff in with #1 though because I didn't want to contaminate it and get the lower price.
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    I never put the stranded stuff in with #1 though
    I put 16-14-12 ga. stripped into the #1 bucket and they never have questioned it, that's why I said that it must be at the discretion of the individual yards.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mechanic688 View Post
    I put 16-14-12 ga. stripped into the #1 bucket and they never have questioned it, that's why I said that it must be at the discretion of the individual yards.
    Guess I won't know till I try so next small load I will ask or just throw it on the scale and see what's up.

  6. #6
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    all stripped wire is number 2. pipes, tubes and such is number 1 for me

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    Mick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dryvr12 View Post
    all stripped wire is number 2. pipes, tubes and such is number 1 for me
    Don't you mean the other way around?

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    #1 is clean bright wire, no varnish or oxidation. Normally you only get that from newly stripped copper wire.
    #2 is clean bright wire with no oxidation but it may contain, fine Varnish of any colour, plastic tape or plastic or light paint or oil.
    #3 or 'Domestic' Anything else, oxidised sheet or clip, pipe, cast, burnt wire with very few brass connectors.

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    Bare bright copper gives the highest, no oxidation, no green colouring allowed. Number 1 copper wire is almost the same as bare bright with the exception that green colouring is allowed. Price difference is minimal between these 2. Some yards may not even classify them. #2 copper has varnish/resin or is smaller than 16 gauge (as mentioned some yards take exception to this)

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    Im not sure why some copper wire is more valuable then others because of size. even my wife says size dosen't mater, but then she has been known to fib a little. I think it is all a scam and conspericy created by the copper buyers .
    but I think I did read in ISRI 16 and up was #1, however my yard goes to #12

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  12. #11
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    Thin wire increases it's surface area and so it's exposure to oxidation. This in turn makes the copper purity over time very slighty lower. Only by a fraction but enough so that it has to refined again before it can be used for electrical wiring. The fact that when you bring the copper in it's nice and shiny won't matter because after its been stored/shipped and stored some more before it gets to the end user it will have undergone very slight oxidation making it no good for electrical wiring and incurring the cost of refining.

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    call your local yard or where ever you plan on bringing it. Every Yard has there own set ways of buying copper.

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    The ISRI guide lines clearly state all the grades of scrap. #1 copper wire is 16 guage and larger. this is for the individual wire. Not the group of wires in an extension cord or a dryer cord. Check out the ISRI guide lines for non ferrous scrap NF2003

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    If that is the case then why is there a difference in price between #1 copper wire and #1 bare bright copper wire?

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    #1 copper wire allows for green wire, bare bright does not.

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