air conditioner compressors , a can of money or a can of worms ? - Page 3

Originally Posted by scrappy1

I dont bother with opening the compressors. I just weigh them and sell them to a guy that cuts them open for a % of the valuable metals. You will need a cutting torch or grinder a large container for the oil. And a large vice to hold it in place as you work on it. Check it out on youtube. Its a messy job. But if you have lots of them and the time. Its a pain getting the copper off the staters. I did it once.. After you go through cutting wheels or blowtorch gas. It might be better off selling them whole. All the supplys add up too!

love what you do you are providing a job for some one else probably an SIS (survival income scrapper/suplimental income scrapper. thanks.

On a side note the oil in compressors works great for keeping sawzall blades and drill bits from overheating.

I use a 9 inch disc angle grinder.
They cost NZ$6 (US$4.80) each & cut more than 12 compressors open.

Theres a knack to the taller refrigerator/freezer compressors, you have to cut them in the right place & then drop the laminations/copper wire part out of the casing.

I have photos of one disassembled. Will post soon.

use the oil to offset fuel costs in a deisel truck maybe a 50/50 guys on the deisel forums run highly filtered motor oil at a 50/50 so this should be ok

hmmm i have a hundred or more of these

Originally Posted by wescrapmetal

hmmm i have a hundred or more of these

Hmmm, you then have over US$500.....

If I have a lot of this wire I wash it with the dirty hot water from my dishwasher. They noticed at the scrapyard the last time I did it.

Hey Mick, and all the rest of you good folks,
I as a matter of fact have worked many ...Many refrig . compressors, and truthfully have this bastange operation down to a science.
Being meticulis (sp.?) is the first op. Cutting the initial case,or pot as it were, with as thin as possible cutoffwheel works superbly,making ths afore mentioned cut just up, or down from the seam weld is appropriatelynecessary,not On the weld.
Dont push it just let the wheel do its thing ,walking round the pot...voala,careful now,pick the unit up, or smash down creating force ,dislodging comp. unit from pot.
Asit were this is where ya gotta hold yer tongue jus right, Cutting along the topof the iron,so as to release the copper windings,carefully,popping the "nugget" of Cu from atop cleanly ,whereby alliowing the aforementioned winding to be released,by grippin with pliers,grips,or approp. tools, thru the bottom of the ring of iron without problem.so, in short ...cutoff wheel,vice,hammer,vicegrips ,lastbutnotleast safety apparel. Good Luck to Yas!
Lucky Luckys Recov. Ent. Okc. Ok.

Be careful with you numbers. Most compressors from the average condensing unit weigh in at around 50-60 pounds. That's if you can get them from condensing units. It takes a lot if window air compressors to make some good money. The formula for success is get a plasma cutter. It'll cut open a compressor in less than a minute.
The best way to acquire them is hit up hvac companies.
I made some good contacts at the scrap yard. My Craigslist ad did wonders. Just put an ad for buying compressors. But only buy alot. If you pay for meager amounts (less than 40 or so) you won't make much. Remember that you'll likely be the only game in town.
Nobody who spends 15 minutes burning through angle grinder blades is going to even consider paying for the compressor. But you gotta know your stuff. People selling them will dog you on the price hard. Good luck

Its been a while....... Good times.

Since Coppers lower now, I'd get about $4-$5 per compressor now. And I am not doing anywhere near as many anymore, lack of sources.
I find the bigger AC units/heatpumps have no more Copper than a normal frdge/freezer compressor.
So I sell them 'as is' & wait till I either really really need the $, or I have enough compressors to make just gaining floor space attractive as well.