sealed units?

**Premiercorerecycling** · 12-22-2012, 07:27 PM

I pay $.20 a lb for sealed units .. The average sealed unit from a residential unit weighs 70lb some over 100lb.... Always remember they are filled with oil and when you cut them open the oil will either catch on fire or dump on the ground..... Recycle responsibly

**eesakiwi** · 12-27-2012, 01:21 AM

Theres 2Lbs copper wire in a fridge or freezer unit. If its a AC or heatpump, expect 1Kg +.

It takes 40cents worth of 9inch grinding disc to cut a fridge/freezer unit apart & to cut one end of the copper loops off.

I use a broken 'open ended ring spanner' and a hammer to pry the rest of the copper wire loops out.

10Kgs of unit @ $100/ton iron price = NZ$1.00

9kgs of seperated off iron = $2.40 + $7.00 copper wire. = NZ$9 each unit

**Recytal** · 01-07-2013, 09:48 PM

Our yard is currently paying anywhere between $0.18-$0.24 a lb. on compressors (just to give you an idea). Stick with Bigger yards (that export), most the time you should get a better price for them. The good thing about them is it doesn't take many of them to get a lot of weight! ***Definitely not worth processing in my opinion.

**freonjoe** · 01-07-2013, 09:57 PM

Recytal, have you ever actually ran the numbers on cutting up compressors?

**Recytal** · 01-07-2013, 10:18 PM

Hello freonjoe. There are certain items such as compressors and ballasts that might yield higher profits afters hours of processing. But if I take into account the waste and liability it produces (whether its oil, or pcb's) and the cost to dipose of such items, labor and materials spent, its simply not feasible for me. I simply meant to state if you can find a yard to pay you what they are actually worth it may be feasible for some people to just sell at .24 a lb. If yards in the area are only paying shred price or less than its definitely an option to consider

**larryt** · 03-01-2018, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

Makes me wonder why they give you less, when it's got a bit of copper in it. IMHO it should scrap at electric motor price. But yeah, cut it open and get that copper out. No need for the yards to make money off YOUR back.

is it legal to drain oil out of sealed unit by yourself? thank you