Scrapping Transformers

Introduction

Transformers offers a ready source of income and scrapability for the hobbyist scrapper. There are usually heavy and they will (for the most part) contain copper, the scrappers gold, and iron. You have the option of leaving the transformer whole and getting transformer price at your yard, or you can take the item apart, separating the copper and iron. Which ever way you choose to do it, you will always find an abundance of transformers of differing sizes, and with that, money.

What are transformers?

Transformers are devices that transfer electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the primary and the secondary. They are used for changing the voltage in an alternating current (AC) line.

Therefore transformers will appear everywhere. as different circuits will require different voltages. Common step down voltages you may be familiar with are 12volts and 5 volts. but obviously there are many other options.

And by inference you can probably tell that they will come in all sizes. And this is quite important for the scrapper as the size of the device will help you decide whether to microscrap it or not.

A transformer consists of two or more coils of insulated wire wound around a common iron core. The coils are electrically connected to each other but not physically connected. The primary coil is connected to the AC line and the secondary coil is connected to the load. The load could be another AC line or an appliance such as a light bulb or motor.

Primary Winding

This is where the alternating current is expected to come in. Whether the transformer is a step up transformer or a step down transformer affects how the windings are put together.

Secondary Winding

This is the winding that connects the current from the primary winding. In this case, the construction of the windings also depends on whether the transformer is a step up or step down transformer.

Magnetic Core

This is needed so that the magnetic flux can move from the primary winding to the secondary winding along a path with low resistance. This makes a close magnetic circuit.

How it ties Together

When AC current flows through the primary coil, it creates a magnetic field around the core. This magnetic field flux cuts through the turns of the secondary coil and induces a voltage in it.

There are two main types of transformer, copper wound and aluminium wound. Copper is more expensive than aluminium but is more efficient so losses are lower. Aluminium is cheaper but because it is a poorer conductor it loses more energy as heat. Sadly aluminium is now much more common and this will be a big factor in deciding how of why bother dismantling a transformer.

What will you get if you scrap it?

As you can see, you will get two or three types of metal out of a transformer if you break it down.

Iron is the obvious and ever present one. Its not worth a lot, is heavy and accounts for the vast majority of weight.

Of more interest is copper and aluminium.

Copper is the scrappers gold because of its value. Scrap metal is one of the most valuable commodities that can be recycled, and copper is often the most valuable metal in scrap. The price of copper has been on the rise in recent years, making it an even more attractive option for scrap collectors. There are a few reasons why copper is so valuable as a scrap metal. Copper is also a very versatile metal. It can be used in a variety of industries and for a variety of purposes. This versatility makes it one of the most sought-after metals on the market. Second, copper is relatively easy to recycle. It can be melted down and reused without much loss in quality. T

Aluminium does not fetch nearly as much as copper at a scrap yard. And given the effort to get to it, you do have to ask the question – is it worth it? Of course when you recycle aluminium, you are not only helping to preserve our environment but also saving money. Recycling aluminium requires only 5% of the energy needed to create new aluminium from scratch. This means that recycling just one aluminium can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours. So don’t forget its ecological value. Not only is recycling aluminium good for the environment, but it is also good for the economy. In fact, the aluminium industry supports nearly 700,000 jobs in the United States alone. These jobs range from mining and refining aluminium to manufacturing products that contain aluminium.

Is it worth it?

Taking a look at YouTube an ongoing controversy has been whether or not to scrap transformers. The opinion is split down the middle and the root cause of this disagreement comes down to volume and time. Take a quick look at the mine of scrapping to understand a little more about this. It is always your decision how far down this mine you go.

For transformers this will be whether to break it apart or not.

Scrap yards will buy money for whole transformers though this will be no where near the price of copper. But be aware in that the vast majority of the weight of a transformer is iron related. once you strip it down, you run the risk of a negative gain, meaning the weight of the copper and/or aluminium will not offset the weight and money from an intact transformer. Additionally, you do need to ask yourself is it worth fighting to free the aluminium, and the YouTube answer is very much no. Always take a file to windings and check for that red or silver shine. Just because the enamel is red, does not mean the underlying metal will be copper. And your local scrap dealer will not be happy with you.

Finally, factor in your time and it becomes even more complex.

And lets not forget the effort to break one apart. A small PCB type transformer will be fiddley, with its layers of yellow tape and thin copper wires. Plenty of room there for minor accidents as well. Generally, a brute force smash of the hammer is not the way to go for these mini devices. For larger ones such as microwave transformers a grinder or hammer and lots of pounding will work -eventually. Buts its not necessarily much fun. In larger transformers the core can be made of E and I plates rather than a solid core. Or they can be interwoven and welded at the seams. Each transformer will need an examination. But certainly a large hammer and vice are valuable pieces of equipment to won.

The conclusion

There are certainly rich pickings in transformers for the scrapper, especially when you think of the copper. For most hobbyist scrappers it may be worth taking apart the larger transformers but not the small ones you find on PCBs. For the volume traders among you, you are better off not scrapping any transformers except the really large ones.

At the end of the day it is your decision how deep down the microscrapping mine you go.