Copper question(s)

Hi guys, I'll try to make this a fairly simple question. I plan on taking my copper to the yard soon(approx. 100 lbs). It consists of alot of A/C tubing, bus bars, Large gauge wire(6-8), smaller gauge wire, thin strips of sheet, Etc. all the wire is stripped. I read somwhere on the forum where someone suggested taking in only a few types at a time so as not to confuse the scale guy and to just make it easier for the seller too. Is that adviseable? If I have everything separated into buckets/bins I would think it would be pretty straightforward. I plan on calling them tomorrow to find out a few grading specs, like what gauge wire do they consider #1
Another question for you guys is with copper tubing, if it is discolored(brown/black/green) would that make it #2 or is that only if it has other metals/materials on it? All of it is broken down and soldered joints separate.
Man, I love this! I've been sitting on my little copper hoard for a couple months. It's kind of like money in the bank! I knew I had the CU so I bought myself a .22mag rifle for coyote hunting!
Thanks for any advice/tips

If you are keeping all the different grades seperate in different containers, then the yard should not be getting confused as to what you have. If they are getting confused, they are probably trying to screw you. Just watch what they are doing, and if you have a scale at home, weigh everything before you take it and make yourself a packing list. That way you can keep track of what they are doing. #1 copper tubing can have some corrosion on it, as long as it isnt really bad. If its an old pipe that was in a wall and discolored, it should be fine as #1.

I agree with CMC, if your wire is thicker than a #2 pencil lead than it is #1 copper. At the yards I use sheet copper is a different price. The yards I use do not have a bear bright class but some do. Any thin wire is #2 copper. The best thing to do is bring it in separate and tell them this your first time and they will explain how they want it sorted. Like CMC said weigh it all out first and call and get the prices first that way when you tell them that this is your first time they won't take advantage you. I hope this helps a little, good luck.

my solution:

Take a bigger tub or bucket, and fill it with vinegar and another with water. Drop the copper in the vinegar and wait 2-24 hours depending on how bad it is, then drop in the rinse water and let dry.

This will remove the corrosion and brighten it back from #2 to #1 copper. It isnt really expensive to do and if you have alot of wieght can made you some extra money for a a couple dollars and few minutes of your time. If you are trying to do under 25-50lbs, it will not pay off well as you have more invested than you make back. after all in most areas it is only a 10-25 cent difference.

My yard would give me #2 (NZ$7.30/Kg) for the wire
& domestic (NZ$7.00) for the solid.

I'd be more worried about having so many bins &somehow that getting into the mix.

Around here it is considered # 1 if it is the thickness of a pencil. Any #1 that is still shiny is considered bare bright(bb). #1 is currently 2.45 and bb is 2.50 lb. # 2 is anything smaller than pencil lead and coper pipe that had solder on it. If I have large pieces of pipe that has soilder on the ends or something I use a metal pipe cutter or bolt cuters to cut if off so that the majority of the weight is #1. By the weigh #2 price is 2.25 lb. Maybe this along with other posts will help. And yeah def weigh what u have if u do not know the yard. A lot of yards take advange of people when they see that u don't know the game well. Hope this helps more than confuses. Dennis