Insulated wire recovery rate

[Mick]

I've been making notes for recovery rates for various types of wire. I had a thread about 4/0 welding leads which I got a yield of 85%. Today I stripped what had been sump pump wire. This was solid core, triple wire wound together. Unwound, it was about 300 ft. The weights are very, very close to exact without using a digital scale.



Total weight: 8.75 lbs
Insulation: 3.50 lbs
Copper wire 5.25 lbs

Yield rate 60%

[sweeney]

so wouldnt u lose money for stripping that wire?

[Mick]

so wouldnt u lose money for stripping that wire?

No:

Insulated wire at $1.00/lb (8.75lbs) = $8.75
#1 Copper at $2.50(5.25/lbs) = $13.12

[scrappy888]

Wouldnt it be copper #2?.. i believe i know what kind you are talking about..i get #2 for that

[Mick]

Wouldnt it be copper #2?.. i believe i know what kind you are talking about..i get #2 for that

I'll be throwing with #1. It's up to them to dispute it.

[eesakiwi]

I have always worked it out as 66% final weight.
ie, 100Kg coated wire, equals 66Kg of burnt off wire.

A bad burn gets you less, around 50%

[Mechanic688]

I have always worked it out as 66% final weight.
ie, 100Kg coated wire, equals 66Kg of burnt off wire.

A bad burn gets you less, around 50%

That is another reason that we don't recommend burning wire, not to mention that it's not good for your health.

[SikoraMetals]

That is another reason that we don't recommend burning wire, not to mention that it's not good for your health.

Also, at least in Detroit, it is illegal for yards to buy burnt copper wire.

[eesakiwi]

I have been selling my plastic coated wire with the clips on etc for NZ$2.70/Kg lately. (From 10Kg, the return is 90%, x NZ$2.7/Kg = NZ$24.30)

If I goto all the trouble of clipping & cleaning & burning & cleaning & clipping & washing & squashing, I'd get about 50% more. (from 10Kg, the return is 60%, x NZ$7.3/Kg = NZ$43.80

[Mick]

Bringing this back up as someone might find ir useful. I've been stripping several sizes of computer CRT degaussing cable and decided to figure recovery rate. Examples:

Total weight Stripped Copper %

10.2oz / 9.2oz / 90%
9.1 / 8.1 / 89%
6.2 / 5.0 / 81%

[Otto]

Thanks, Mick. I'll add another one. Four wire telephone cable came in at 60.5%. The only issue with it is that it's a pain to strip.