Appliance recycling

Was wondering if any of you recycle appliances, like washers and dryers. I'm an appliance tech and have an abundance of appliances to strip out. I usually just take the copper and brass. Aluminum doesn't seem economical as the last I checked it was .10c a pound. I tried stripping the motors, but found they had aluminum wiring, waste of time. I see you guys talking about electric motors and boards. Can I recycle the boards out of appliances, or is it only out of computers? Do the little fan motors count as electric motors? Or are we just talking about the ones with big windings.
Thanks
Dan

Anything with some type of winding counts as a electric motor.

If you come across a lot of appliances, you should sell the steel from them as well. Mixed metal is selling close to 10¢ per pound, not aluminum.

Prices are much better that 10¢ for aluminum; more like 60¢ where I'm from. Motors/copper breakage is .30¢.

The boards out of appliances are hard to sell for more than mixed metal price, aka 9¢ per pound unless you have tons of them. literally tons.

And I think everybody here has probably scrapped out their fair share of washers and dryers. more than I can count. :o

I tried stripping wiring from motors, alternators etc and found it really wasn't worth the time. Just cut the motor out and sell it separately. Pull the wiring and strip the insulation for #1 copper or just sell as is for Insulated Copper. Then stuff the appliance carcass with "junk". Haul everything in and get paid. The washer/dryer drum may be stainless steel. Before long, you'll be a regular scrap guy.

I'm looking for appliance dealer in my area of Maine.

I have found it is easiest to take the dryer motor out by removing the top of the dryer, then removing the drum. That also makes it easier to look for anything else that might have fallen to the bottom such as change, jewelry, etc. My last dryer produced over 100 coins and two pieces of jewelry (unfortunately they were both gold filled (*sigh*)).

I'll have to check the prices here. I moved in June to a new area. When I left I didn't want to haul my scrap so I took it down to the yard and got .10c a pound for my aluminum. But no one in that area took anything ferrous. No one took motors. All they took was non ferrous metals. I've moved to a bigger area, and will need to go see exactly what they buy and what the rates are.

As a appliance tech I try to fix what I can. I can sell them used for more than the scrap value. But things like old dishwashers, that I don't repair for used, would be nothing to pull the motors and the wiring out of.

That seems really low for aluminum. Was it dirty? IE: had other non aluminum junk attached to it?

I don't think I've ever come across a motor that had aluminum windings.

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Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

That seems really low for aluminum. Was it dirty? IE: had other non aluminum junk attached to it?

I don't think I've ever come across a motor that had aluminum windings.

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You probably have, but just didn't realize it because they have a copper coating. I've come across motors with aluminum windings. Back when I tried pulling them apart, I would always file at them to check before pulling the wire out. And it's not just motors either. You have no idea how many microwave transformers have aluminum windings! In my experience, its like 10%!

nope aluminum was clean. Couldn't believe the price, but as it was the only place that took scrap and I didn't want to move it 3hrs east I sold it. So I found out today that where I am now, you have to be a licensed appliance recycler to recycle appliances here. Some new law as of last January. Where I was before no one took ferrous metals so this is all new to me. Gonna verify this at the scrap yard here sometime this week.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheIrrationalist

You probably have, but just didn't realize it because they have a copper coating. I've come across motors with aluminum windings. Back when I tried pulling them apart, I would always file at them to check before pulling the wire out. And it's not just motors either. You have no idea how many microwave transformers have aluminum windings! In my experience, its like 10%!

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Ah. I see. I just assumed these were copper windings, because they're copper colored. I've not tried tearing any apart, and wasn't planning to either. Just piling up motors till I have a good haul.

That's what I love about this forum...always learning.