Results 1 to 19 of 19

computer wires

| Scrap Metal Tips and Advice
  1. #1
    jameswag6657 started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    computer wires

    Do all computer wires have copper in them


  2. #2
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, NC
    Posts
    4,917
    Thanks
    15,632
    Thanked 5,861 Times in 2,713 Posts
    After thousands of computers I can't think of one wire that wasn't copper. 73 Mike
    "Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}

    Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked

  3. The Following 7 Users say Thank You for This Post by miked:


  4. #3
    CopperHeadAKA's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2015
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    265
    Thanks
    76
    Thanked 323 Times in 127 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by jameswag6657 View Post
    Do all computer wires have copper in them
    It's a delicate multi-strand bunch of copper on the flat ribbon , the plastic ends must have a bit of gold on the pins
    other then that , all wires are copper. Thin AL wires are not an industry standard I assume due to AL wire could melt
    in unique situation's of heat and copper is still superior.
    http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/members/copper-head.html
    Copper Head and CopperHeadAKA (same person)
    I am back to my skill set from the 80's Painting & all that follows it
    I removed myself from the trash company I worked for as of 2 years ago
    I find scrap non the less

  5. #4
    EDC76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Steelton, PA
    Posts
    158
    Thanks
    247
    Thanked 172 Times in 78 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by CopperHeadAKA View Post
    Thin AL wires are not an industry standard I assume due to AL wire could melt
    in unique situation's of heat and copper is still superior.
    Aluminum isn't used because it has a lower data transfer rate than copper.

  6. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by EDC76:


  7. #5
    CopperHeadAKA's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2015
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    265
    Thanks
    76
    Thanked 323 Times in 127 Posts
    Well yes on the data transfer .
    Still another observation I've seen
    is AL wire fail with the result of a type of fire melting of wire
    that is limited to the area it happens
    the flash point of AL can't compare to Copper

  8. #6
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    4
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Yes, in most of the electrical wiring, copper is the conductor for power generation, transmission, distribution, telecommunication, circuitary. Copper sets standard for conductivity. It is very efficient than many other conductors.

  9. #7
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Yes. I agree with you.

  10. #8
    CapitalRecovery's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Aug 2015
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    318
    Thanks
    232
    Thanked 256 Times in 134 Posts
    Even in Power supplies, right?

  11. #9
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, NC
    Posts
    4,917
    Thanks
    15,632
    Thanked 5,861 Times in 2,713 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by CapitalRecovery View Post
    Even in Power supplies, right?
    Yes.

    Scrape any suspect wire with a sharp blade and you will be able to see a redish color(you can also use some fine sandpaper etc).

    You will learn that much of the stranded wire has a "silver" color to it but is copper. The outside silver color is what is called "tinned" wire. The "tinned" makes soldering much quicker, better, faster especially for automated machines. That's why the entire wire is tinned so that no matter what length of wire is being used by a manufacturer the wire is tinned and ready to solder.

    If you want to understand more about why you should tin wire prior to soldering do a search on youtube. Mike

  12. The Following 4 Users say Thank You for This Post by miked:


  13. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Bloomington, IN
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    So I have wire I'm starting to have pile up from disassembling some computers and general electronics and my concern is how short they are. Is this an issue when you try to sell to a yard or anything? I'm usually clipping them off of boards and sometimes it's just a bunch of little wire that went from one board to another so they are all of 2-5 in. long. Is there a common practice with these types of wires? Always leave insulated/stripped? Kept separate from anything?

  14. #11
    HipoGear's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    May 2015
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    734
    Thanks
    2,048
    Thanked 945 Times in 409 Posts
    Shove it all in a bucket and sell it to your yard. What I do though is mix in some power cord wiring too so it isn't only tiny wires. They pay 30% copper which has been $0.50 a pound. Or sometimes I bag it, then stuff it in a box I am shipping out to ewasted to help pay for shipping charges (if there is extra space that needs filling).
    Copper, brass, and Leather. 3 of my favorite things.

  15. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by HipoGear:


  16. #12
    submarinepainter's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    1,025
    Thanks
    1,230
    Thanked 654 Times in 316 Posts
    I think he asked about stripping the wire, I have never removed the insulation on these 30 percent wires , to much time
    Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes;
    God bless little children while they're still too young to hate

  17. #13
    eesakiwi's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    2,531
    Thanks
    2,909
    Thanked 2,556 Times in 1,227 Posts
    I have only found Aluminium wires in....
    Modern microwaves, and dual Grill/Microwave microwave ovens, in their main transformer.
    In some heatpump compressors, and one single fridge compressor.
    In clothes driers electric motors.
    Some, not often, washing machine motors.
    Some CRT TV degaussing cables.

  18. The Following 5 Users say Thank You for This Post by eesakiwi:


  19. #14
    MattInTheHat's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Sep 2012
    Location
    rock hill, sc
    Posts
    1,464
    Thanks
    1,142
    Thanked 1,396 Times in 703 Posts
    firewire is fiber optic.
    Currently looking for a job in or related to scrap/recycling. Relocation is possible for the right offer.

  20. The Following User Says Thank You to MattInTheHat for This Post:


  21. #15
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Bloomington, IN
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    So here's another question regarding these wires. I have wires that were connected to boards with those plastic ends that SOMETIMES have gold plated pins. Well what do you do with the ones that don't have the gold plating? Do you toss them in with something else?

  22. #16
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, NC
    Posts
    4,917
    Thanks
    15,632
    Thanked 5,861 Times in 2,713 Posts
    Don't cut them off. Mike

  23. The Following User Says Thank You to miked for This Post:


  24. #17
    jimicrk's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    2,825
    Thanks
    2,917
    Thanked 4,838 Times in 1,877 Posts
    It all depends on what your yards are paying and if they want the ends removed or not. My yard pays .625 a pound for my mixed computer and phone wire with the plug ends still on. I can't justify the time spent cutting the gold plated ends off and only getting .70 a pound.

    I'm not saying that's how you should do it, that's just what works best for me.

  25. The Following 4 Users say Thank You for This Post by jimicrk:


  26. #18
    kirstenblain's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    May 2020
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post
    What do you guys do with Copper Clad AL (CCA) wire?


  27. #19
    FinalSorter's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    6
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by kirstenblain View Post
    What do you guys do with Copper Clad AL (CCA) wire?
    Personally, I think the overall actual value of Copper Clad AL is negative.
    Why? For honest people, it increases management cost for preventing it from contaminating copper stream. This mistake will cost your reputation and sometimes large fines from big end customers.
    No doubt, “smart” guys always win in the real world. 99% percent chance it will end up in the copper.
    I really hate copper clad al.
    By the way, the right place it should go is alloy like A380. price should be higher than alu.

  28. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by FinalSorter:



  29. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. PSU: Keep Wires Or Not?
      By PinkFloydEffect in forum Computer Recycling
      Replies: 14
      Last Post: 10-24-2015, 12:40 PM
    2. laptop wires
      By lousypirate in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 3
      Last Post: 01-19-2014, 02:47 PM
    3. do I have to strip the wires?
      By SoFlo in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 12-28-2013, 01:44 PM
    4. Computer wires
      By sillllvar in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 7
      Last Post: 12-18-2011, 11:20 AM
    5. Insulated wires
      By tjlock in forum Non ferrous metal recycling
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 02-26-2011, 01:56 AM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook