What To Know About Scrapping Insulated Copper Wire
Scrapping metal can be a great way to make some extra cash, especially when you realize how much of it is out there waiting to be collected. One popular source of metal is insulated copper wire. Even though the wire may be treated as trash, the copper inside it is quite valuable and can be worth your time to take it to a local scrapyard. Here is what you need to know about scrapping this valuable material.
You Must Separate The Copper Wire
All copper wire is not treated the same way at a scrapyard. There are actually different types of copper wire, and they must be separated when you bring it all in to sell. It's important that you learn the differences between the types of copper wire, and which ones are worth more than others.
You Can Get More Money By Bringing In More Copper Wire
If you only have a few pounds of copper wire, don't expect to get much for it from a scrapyard. Scrapyards make their money by selling copper to buyers in high volumes. If you bring in a lot of copper wire, the scrapyard will be more likely to find a seller, who will pay them more for a higher quantity. If you bring in a small amount of copper wire, chances are that it will sit at the scrap yard until they have a lot more of that type of wire to sell in bulk. This is taking up space that can be used for other scrap material, which is why you'll get a lower offer so that the scrapyard can make a bigger profit from the sale when it eventually happens.
You Will Get Different Values From Different Types Of Wire
What you want to look for when hunting for scrap metal is type 1 copper wire. This is a thicker type of copper wire that is used for more heavy duty electrical wiring. Romex wire is a very common type of type 1 copper wire, and you'll know that you found it when it can be bent and hold its position quite well. Type 2 copper wire is going to be low voltage wires that are used for telephones as well as CAT5 and CAT6 ethernet cables.
Have more questions about selling copper wire for cash? Be sure to ask your local scrapyard before you visit with your first haul of copper. Look for copper wire buyers near you.
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