A/C Compressors

I have three compressors in my yard. Is it worth it to sell them for $3 each. That is what my local yard is paying for them. Just so you know, I have two compressors from a/c units and one from a small refrigerator. Thanks for your feedback.

Are these from large, central A/C units or window units?

Window units

Weigh them and multiply that by what they pay for steel. You will find they are worth more as steel. So as they won't take them as steel till you cut them open you might as well open them up and get the copper out of them. A window unit compressor will have about 3 pounds of copper.

I see people ask about the oil in them, like what to do with it. I save it for cooling my blade while using a sawzall to cut steel.

I just was able to cut open my first compressor yesterday! And there is a lot of copper in there! The motor part its wound around is part steel part cast!

way to go attitude !!

I'm sooo excited Dee! It took 3 sawzall batteries to get it done but I didnt want to invest in a side grinder until I was sure what was in them and if it was worth investing for that!!

So I imagine it would be worth it to cut open the huge compressor I have from a central AC unit?

Originally Posted by thrsxs

So I imagine it would be worth it to cut open the huge compressor I have from a central AC unit?

The big compressors like the Copeland brand has about 5 to 8 pounds of copper in them. I just cleaned 9 compressors last week and ended up with 75 pounds of copper. There may have been a few motors in there also. But it was some nice bonus money!

Out of all the compressors ive cut open over the years, only one had alum windings so far. It came out of an old, old Sears coldspot refigerator.

Just a heads up.

Originally Posted by injunjoe

The big compressors like the Copeland brand has about 5 to 8 pounds of copper in them. I just cleaned 9 compressors last week and ended up with 75 pounds of copper. There may have been a few motors in there also. But it was some nice bonus money!

Yeah I had my first rooftop Copeland I pulled 7lbs out of it. Guy said I could have gotten #1 wire is that true for central a.c. compressors? Are all central thicker than a pencil lead?

Originally Posted by mike1

Yeah I had my first rooftop Copeland I pulled 7lbs out of it. Guy said I could have gotten #1 wire is that true for central a.c. compressors? Are all central thicker than a pencil lead?

MOST of the wire is thick enough yes, but there is usually a varnish or something similar on the wire. plus unless you feel like pulling all the plastic things off it would just be #2. I've done like 10 tons of these now and no way would I risk throwing the windings in the #1 box. (I'm also the guy in charge of the metals room where I take the copper if that means anything). how are you cutting the shell currently?

Oh and be aware a lot of the big wider looking ones I do I've found are the most likely to have aluminum or copper/aluminum windings. the window ac units and the big ones that are shaped similar to the window ac ones have been all copper up to this point. I usually get at least one or two aluminum fridge compressors per ton.