Stainless Alloy in HVAC Units

I have a question for the board that I hope someone on here may be able to answer. I searched previous threads to see if it has been addressed in teh past and could not find my answers.

I break down old HVAC units that I get through work. Specifically speaking on the package units, the ones with the heater units has these little spiraled stainless steel wires (picture of a bucket full of them attached). I used to leave these on the schreddable steel scrap from the units but a fellow peddler at the scrap yard said that they are some kind of SS alloy and worth separating.

A while back, I took some to the scrap yard and the guy tried to pay just standard stainless price. I explained they are supposed to be a premium alloy and he tried to use his little ID gun on it however it was inconclusive since it was such a small surface area it was testing. Since at that time it was only 3#'s, he went ahead and purchased it as Inconel (paid way more than regular stainless). Now that I have a considerable amount of it, I wanted to try and be a little more informed on it when I take it in.

I know there are alot of guys on here that break down HVAC units. Can you advise on what type of allow it is? Thanks in advance.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...e/IMG_0930.jpg

I know they are worth some good money. I unfortunately cannot say what type of metal they are or how much you will receive.

I had some scrap before that had these in the air handler units. The guy told me to seperate them for more cash. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and didnt have nothing with me that would cut it.

Needless to say, I have also forgotten about them till now.

You should be able to ask someone at your work. They should know what they are.

It's NiChrome and worth 2 - 4 dollars a pound.

Thanks Freonjoe....

I had taken it to the yard before and their little guns could not properly zap/test the metal since the round wires didn't have enough surface area. I knew these are typical since they are on many old package HVAC units. No one I work with know anything more than they are stainless and they are basing that on the fact a magnet doesn't stick. I knew there had to be folks on here who have dealt with this before.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freonjoe

It's NiChrome and worth 2 - 4 dollars a pound.

---

Same stuff that's in blow dryers, heat guns, electric heaters, etc.

And at the back of tumble driers.

This is what most of it tests out as.




Took in wire samples from a dryer heating element and an electric furnace to get shot by the gun. Both came back as HW 6015.

58% nickel
28% iron
17% chromium

This may prove to be a stupid sugestion. Take the "wire" hit it with a hammer to flatten it out. I would then clean the flattened part with a file and then take that back as your sample. Maybe the larger area will be testable. Mike.

Freonjoe is wright, it is nychrome, my yard pays $2.00 per lb.