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  1. #1
    mike1 started this thread.
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    i was wandering has anyone ever done one of these?

    i got to thinking and was wandering has anyone done one of these? what is inside it how much copper? i know its not like people get these often or maybe not at all just curious.

    https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...zvmWolckEIZfM:


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    Look out for PCB's. There a lot of info online.
    "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

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  4. #3
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    Your chances of getting one of those are slim to none. Electric company is going to do thier own. Any commercial electrician dealing in transformers that size knows the value.

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    They should have a metal plate attached to the case. You wont have to worry about PCBs in the newer ones.

    Some may be copper wound and some maybe aluminum wound.
    If you can get a number off them check the specs on it.

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    I am not sure which of the transformers you are talking about, but the scrapping of a power plant provided access to many of those pictured and three giant turbines (size of a greyhound bus) as well. This was all documented in a thread called "A Scrappers Dream." The information should still be there but the pictures have disappeared compliments of Photobucket. The pictures told the entire story of their value.
    Give back more to this world than we take.

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    Try wondering on youtube.


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  12. #7
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    If the transformer had PCB oil and was changed over there will be a tag attached to the can stating how much oil was removed and replaced along with the date.

    Some of you guys may recall a Quonset that I had purchased that burnt to the ground, part of that deal was to clean up the home site from any scrap that was there. I had Jack come in for the old equipment but I did the pile of copper wire and three transformers myself.

    I paid a farmer with a front end loader on his tractor to load them onto my trailer.

    The transformers I had were a bit larger than t hose shown on the pole below and had square cans. These were three phase units having a large transformer for each phase.

    Your electric company often puts out this type of scrap for public bidding but the scrap yards alway pay a premium - often more than whats the copper is worth. Must be something about keeping your competitor at bay by out bidding them even if its at a lose to you.


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  14. #8
    mike1 started this thread.
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    Quote Originally Posted by miked View Post
    Try wondering on youtube.

    yeah i found something a guy had a small pic of a transformer from a power pole he took apart he said it had 200 dollars in metal didnt explain how much copper was in it though=(

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    mike1 started this thread.
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    Quote Originally Posted by alloy2 View Post
    If the transformer had PCB oil and was changed over there will be a tag attached to the can stating how much oil was removed and replaced along with the date.

    Some of you guys may recall a Quonset that I had purchased that burnt to the ground, part of that deal was to clean up the home site from any scrap that was there. I had Jack come in for the old equipment but I did the pile of copper wire and three transformers myself.

    I paid a farmer with a front end loader on his tractor to load them onto my trailer.

    The transformers I had were a bit larger than t hose shown on the pole below and had square cans. These were three phase units having a large transformer for each phase.

    Your electric company often puts out this type of scrap for public bidding but the scrap yards alway pay a premium - often more than whats the copper is worth. Must be something about keeping your competitor at bay by out bidding them even if its at a lose to you.

    yeah thats the one im talking about the one on the pole with the round shape

  16. #10
    jakephelps's Avatar
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    my friend got his hands on 1 was all excited... it was aluminum wound...

  17. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by mike1 View Post
    yeah thats the one im talking about the one on the pole with the round shape
    Transformers used on the utility's mainline and those used at industrial installation will have copper windings, the one for your house probably aluminum with a bit of copper.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alloy2 View Post
    If the transformer had PCB oil and was changed over there will be a tag attached to the can stating how much oil was removed and replaced along with the date.

    Some of you guys may recall a Quonset that I had purchased that burnt to the ground, part of that deal was to clean up the home site from any scrap that was there. I had Jack come in for the old equipment but I did the pile of copper wire and three transformers myself.

    I paid a farmer with a front end loader on his tractor to load them onto my trailer.

    The transformers I had were a bit larger than t hose shown on the pole below and had square cans. These were three phase units having a large transformer for each phase.

    Your electric company often puts out this type of scrap for public bidding but the scrap yards alway pay a premium - often more than whats the copper is worth. Must be something about keeping your competitor at bay by out bidding them even if its at a lose to you.

    it appears im not the only one who noticed people loosing money in Gov. auctions. I've seen some guys pay what large processors pay for stuff and then I see some items go way above and beyond what that item may be worth scrap wise. And most of those items have a EUC requirement. Not sure how anyone could make money like that.

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    [QUOTE=miked;282152]Try wondering on youtube.
    I used to make transformers just like that but they where for plasma cutters. Maybe that's where we could be looking. I think in one commercial CAD plasma cutter there's like 50 transformers ranging from fist size to that size.

  20. #14
    mike1 started this thread.
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    [QUOTE=Earther;282560]
    Quote Originally Posted by miked View Post
    Try wondering on youtube.
    I used to make transformers just like that but they where for plasma cutters. Maybe that's where we could be looking. I think in one commercial CAD plasma cutter there's like 50 transformers ranging from fist size to that size.
    wow thats crazy.

  21. #15
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    make sure there is a paper trail if you acquire one. I doubt they come into private hands very often, and they stick out like a sore thumb

    Currently looking for a job in or related to scrap/recycling. Relocation is possible for the right offer.

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