Question About Acronym?

Hello everyone! My name is Jeremy, and this is my first post here! I'm 18, and my dad owns a heating and air conditioning company, and about a year ago I worked it out with him that I would scrap the units, compressors, etc. he got from change outs to help pay for my college expenses, since it is near impossible to find a job right now (although I am still looking). I had a quick question - the scrapyard I haul my things to doesn't charge steel (called shredder steel on their receipt) by the pound; instead, it says '11.50/CW'. Does anyone else's scrapyard do this, and can you tell me what it means? I'm trying to estimate about how much money I'll get before I decide to haul things away. Thanks.

CW means hundredweight. So that means that they are paying 11.5 cents a pound.

C is the Roman Numeral designation for 100

yes, the yards here do the same, price per hundred weight

Thanks guys. Also, I have a question about a Copeland scroll compressor out of a 10 ton unit. Would it be worth me taking the time to cut it open? If so, any tips about where to cut it at, etc.? I've never tried to do it before, but I'm trying to maximize my profit...and it's not like I have anything better to do.

Originally Posted by RustyDollars

Welcome to the forum Jeremy. Not to sound nerdy but the receipt should show $11.50/CWT but they just got lazy and scribbled 11.50/cw. The CWT stands for The hundredweight or centum weight, and as Joe posted you received 11.5 cents a pound. You can expect to be paid by the lb for your copper, aluminum, and non-magnetic stainless.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks RustyDollars - I've been scrapping these units for about a year now, but recently they opened a new scrapyard in our town that is much more efficient, organized, and friendly than the other one, and they pay slightly more. The new yard does everything electronically, so it actually is listed as CW in their computer - if what you said is true, then they have an error in their system! Thanks everyone for explaining it to me, I can estimate things a little better now.

On the bigger scroll compressors the copper yield is about 6-7% copper by weight. Make your first cut about 1/3 of the way down from the top and lift it off, that is where the compressor part of it is. Make your second cut about 3 inches from the bottom. The oil will be in the bottom. Split open the center section as that is where your winding core will be.

Originally Posted by freonjoe

On the bigger scroll compressors the copper yield is about 6-7% copper by weight. Make your first cut about 1/3 of the way down from the top and lift it off, that is where the compressor part of it is. Make your second cut about 3 inches from the bottom. The oil will be in the bottom. Split open the center section as that is where your winding core will be.

freonjoe, much appreciated. Will get on that first thing tomorrow morning.

Originally Posted by jisrael93

Thanks guys. Also, I have a question about a Copeland scroll compressor out of a 10 ton unit. Would it be worth me taking the time to cut it open? If so, any tips about where to cut it at, etc.? I've never tried to do it before, but I'm trying to maximize my profit...and it's not like I have anything better to do.

There are some very knowledgable compressor recyclers here, FreonJoe is one that comes to mind. You might also want to post this question in another thread, or search through the old threads some. You'll also find people people who wish you'd go to the introduction category near the bottom of the main page and post a short hello and introduction there. Welcome to SMF



Hmmm, why didn't I see Joe's comment earlier? I guess it jumped while i was scrolling down lol

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I found today that it was easier and less harsh on the blade to take my Dewalt portable band saw and cut around the top and bottom of the compressor. However, I seem to have missed something and I'm confused - how do you remove the copper windings from the center? I thought about cutting down the length of the remnants of the compressor and removing it that way, but I wanted to see if there was an easier or more efficient way to do this. No rush though, I'm sitting on my scrap for a while...the prices are dropping harshly, and #2 copper has went down .20 in the last two weeks here. Ouch.