large electric motors

Hi to all, at the end of the month I am going to an auction where they have several large motors of 150hp each.I was wonder how I could estimate how much copper would be in them.They look like they wiegh about a ton ea. with about 2" output shafts.

wow,that would be alot of copper-thanks

ok i'll do that,sorry i didnt check first.Isure you guys in the know get tired of answering the same questions

Originally Posted by KZBell

Seems I've read that copper is about 25-30% of that weight.

You on the money KZBell, we're safe because the yards will out bid him.

yea, there will be alot of scrap dealers there I bet,its an auction for old logging machinery.The stuff is all very old big ,very heavy and made with very thick steel.

Very big very heavy and very thick means that there might be allot of scrap buyers but few with the knowledge to process and cut up equipment of that size and process it to mill specs. You have a better chance of buying the heavy equipment over the motors. I would bet that the equipment sells for around 130/150 a gross ton. I am just guessing because I don't know your prepared prices or what the specs are to the mill. You better be willing to shell out 25 cents a lb for motors and hope you get a quick turnaround copper is dropping on the comex and that will translate to dropping prices at your yard.

your id suggest you know about scrap pistons? If so did you see my post aluminum alloys?

My last name is Pistone that's it I know nothing about pistons. If you know the grade of aluminum though it should bring top dollar or you are getting the shaft. Yards that pay for a few grades of aluminum I can put a paycheck on it when you walk out the door after getting bent over are shooting it with the gun and putting it in the appropriate gaylord for shipment to a smelter how do you think the scrap yard makes money hand over fist.

sorry about the assumption but ya gotta admit it kinda fits.Ya it only made sense to me that one should get better prices for better grades of material.I have no doubt that you will get taken advantage of if you dont know what your selling or take the time to compare yards.It makes it hard when the prices very so much from city to the next. Thanks to all for the feed back,this forum is great!!!!!

What part of Idaho are you in?

I live in grangeville about 70 miles south of lewiston

I've been there. Bought a truck from the cemetery.

I moved here 11 yrs ago with my job from ca. and really like it, it was like moving to mayberry at first

K I answered this once before a while back.I read in a past post you can expect two thirds of the horsepower of copper.i do not have any experience with such a large size motor but would love to give it a go sometime.I do have a concern with the old old motors having the bad type of insulation in them Asbestos

Hi kbob, Thats a big difference in the estimate of copper contained.Kzbell & Biscuits post says its more like 25%-30% of total wieght,so at a 1000lbs it might contain 250lbs of copper. 150hp at 2/3 would equal 45lbs if thats how you would figure it-1lb copper per hp?