Scrap value in copper cylinder?

woj101

I've got a grade 3, 210 litre, copper cylinder with an unwanted hole in it. I've already replaced it with a new cylinder and now have the to do something with the the old one.

I figure there must be a bit of value in the metal but wouldn't know what reasonable expectation for it should be. I have phoned a local scrap merchant who said they'd pay £40 but my plumber suggested I could get much more than that.

Anyone got their finger on the pulse of scrap prices. It obviously needs to be worth a fair bit more to warrant me travelling further with it.

While I'm at it - the cylinder is still covered in insulating foam and has quite a lot of limescale inside it. If I turn up at a scrap yard with it will they tell me to do one unless I remove the foam and scale, or won't they care?

Would ask scrappies direct but they're quite intimidating if you know squat about such things.

Thanks.

phill99

The scrappie is about right. Anything between £40 and £60. Although it's copper, it's contaminated copper ie its got other metals in it, plus limescale plus insulation. The price of copper has dropped quite a lot in recent weeks, so your plumber may be making his assump0tions on previous prices.

Call a couple more scrap dealers for their prices.

spannerzone

sounds reasonable compared to what I got from a scrappy last year..... I had a small copper tank and a big bin bag full of copper pipes and got about £120 for the lot

andyhop

£3.80 per KG is approx todays price for a use cylinder

ahll

Good to know I will have a copper cylinder and some pipes soon when the new combi boiler is fitted.

I have also been told I need to relpace 4 rads (500x600) I believe they are iron does anyone know how much you would get for these from a local scrap merchant ?

gas4you

£4140/ metric tonne I got yesterday for copper/brasserie

ahll

gas4you wrote: »

£4140/ metric tonne I got yesterday for copper/brasserie

wow you had a tonne to trade in .....:j:

phill99

ahll wrote: »

Good to know I will have a copper cylinder and some pipes soon when the new combi boiler is fitted.

I have also been told I need to relpace 4 rads (500x600) I believe they are iron does anyone know how much you would get for these from a local scrap merchant ?

'Light Iron' which rads will be classed as, is currently 12p / kilo.

As you are going to the scrap man take tyhem with you. You may get £8 - £10.

woj101

Cripes, replies! Thanks.

So am I going to get more money if I 'decontaminate' it before taking to scrappy? Will they take it if I don't?

If copper prices are low, how much difference in price might I get when prices are near the high end?

phill99

woj101 wrote: »

Cripes, replies! Thanks.

So am I going to get more money if I 'decontaminate' it before taking to scrappy? Will they take it if I don't?

If copper prices are low, how much difference in price might I get when prices are near the high end?

You will never decontaminate it enough to sell it as 'bright copper'. The most you will get is 'braisery'. They will still take it as it is.

No one knows how much the price of copper will go up to or down to.

Just take it in and get your money. I don't know why you are delaying taking it in. You will only get £60 or so. Even if prices go up dramatically, you may only get another £10, so stop procrastinating over it.

ahll

February 2012
All scrap copper prices are updated regularly and calculated using the spot price average for that month.
- Clean Copper £4500
- Heavy scrap copper £4000
- Scrap copper cable £1250

Source here