Isn't all copper the same?

For instance, this past Monday I had my regular bucket of #2 that came out of motors, tv's etc. Then, I had found some sort of round, hat shaped copper thingy. I have NO idea what it was, it was dark when I found it so I didnt even realize it was copper until I got it home. I thought it was aluminum. Anyways, when I took it in it weighed up as #3 copper with a 15 cent lower price difference.

I know the difference between number 1 and number 2 copper is mostly the thickness and this thing I found was thin, and it had ''pound'' marks all over it.

At the end of the day though, isn't all copper the same? Or are the different ''numbers'' of copper also different grades?

By me #3 is light copper @$2.40#. check out scrap monster tab at top of page and when you click on each metal most have a picture and description according to how it is classified by ISRI.

i thought it was all in the thickness too, i mean apart from insulated, coated etc, copper is copper

#3 could be sheet copper at some yards and sheet usually pays less.

The difference between #1 and #2 copper actually has nothing to do with thickness. #1 copper is totally clean, free of any solder, paint or any other contamination. #2 copper is copper with paint, solder or other contamination. #3 copper, as others have said, is sheet copper like downspouts, gutters, roofing, washtubs, and other decorative pieces.

Thickness of copper should only affect your price when selling insulated copper wire because the thicker the copper the higher the recovery rate when the wire is processed.

Clean and shiny angel hair copper will not go as #1 due to the size...it is too small and goes as #2, at my yard anyway.

not all copper is created equal.

Copper wire is the purest because it needs to conduct electricity at maximum efficiency.
Copper pipe is not as pure, because pure copper pipe would be too soft, and it needs to maintain structural integrity.

Now, sheet copper for roofing or otherwise isnt load bearing, nor does it conduct. it is typically decorative, so they use low grade copper, AND the fact that it is so thin makes it surface area to weight ratio less than desirable for smelting. It has a lower recovery rate and gets downgraded.

I put all my sheet copper in a separate bin. it comes from the strangest places sometimes, but i know better than to mix it with my number two or number one.

I have found that if you are a good sorter of materials sometimes a small bucket of #2 wire will get thrown in with my bare bright by the scale guy, a small bucket of dirty alum and stainless will go as clean aluminum if I have a decent load of clean too. If that happens a hot coffee, cold drink or a couple of buck tip to the scale guy goes along way.

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Originally Posted by Filthy

not all copper is created equal.

Now, sheet copper for roofing or otherwise isnt load bearing, nor does it conduct. it is typically decorative, so they use low grade copper, AND the fact that it is so thin makes it surface area to weight ratio less than desirable for smelting. It has a lower recovery rate and gets downgraded.

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Thanks for that explaination. I always wondered why they pay less for copper sheet and now I know why. :cool:

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Originally Posted by KZBell

Clean and shiny angel hair copper will not go as #1 due to the size...it is too small and goes as #2, at my yard anyway.

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Not at our yard:cool:

I believe most yards prefer it with their #2 because it is not as good for smelting as what typically is bought for #1 copper, similar to the earlier explanation about the lower price for sheet copper.

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Originally Posted by SikoraMetals

The difference between #1 and #2 copper actually has nothing to do with thickness. #1 copper is totally clean, free of any solder, paint or any other contamination. #2 copper is copper with paint, solder or other contamination. #3 copper, as others have said, is sheet copper like downspouts, gutters, roofing, washtubs, and other decorative pieces.

Thickness of copper should only affect your price when selling insulated copper wire because the thicker the copper the higher the recovery rate when the wire is processed.

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ISRI Spec:
No. 1 COPPER WIRE
Shall consist of No. 1 bare, uncoated, unalloyed copper
wire, not smaller than No. 16 B & S wire gauge.Green copper wire and hydraulically compacted
material to be subject to agreement between buyer
and seller.

Some info here. Copper #3 could fall under the Light copper cat. Scrap Copper Recycling Category -- Non~Ferrous Scrap Metal Recycling

Sheet copper has a lot of surface area which has more exposure to oxygen when smelting than thicker copper. Much of the exposed copper oxidizes (burns) instead of melting. This lowers the recovery rate for thin copper as when compared to the thicker counterparts.

Simply stated, "all-copper" means that the electrical service inside your home is carried exclusively over copper wiring. This includes the copper conductors used in your circuit breaker panel, in branch circuit wiring (to outlets, switches, lighting fixtures and the like), and in dedicated branches serving heavy-load appliances (such as ranges, ovens, clothes dryers and air conditioners).