scrapping alternator?

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
I've got an alternator out of a Mazda that has seized and a new replacement on its way.
From you scrappers - it is worth it to take this thing apart to separate the copper & AL?
 
No.
you will get more at a scrap yard calling it an electric motor. and getting premium for the whole thing.
At one point I was scrapping 50 alternators and starters a month. Ive tried it every way you can imagine.
 
benXJ said:
You didn't get charged a core fee?
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Nope, ordered one new on Amazon, no need for a core. Not a reman. This was cheaper than remain, or having a local place R&R, even though it's the OE spec and all the reviews were positive. Don't ask me how it's possible.
Ron said:
No.
you will get more at a scrap yard calling it an electric motor. and getting premium for the whole thing.
At one point I was scrapping 50 alternators and starters a month. Ive tried it every way you can imagine.
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Interesting, is it that they tend to have a flat rate for "motors", alternators, etc?
 
Its been a couple years but when we were coring engines high volume I had a scrap contract.
Shred Steel was bringing .02/lb
Copper was bringing .88/lb (this on is crazy volatile and can change the math)
EM was bringing .48/lb

Since copper makes up less than 25% of the weight of an alternator...you do the math. ;)

Hired a guy to help me one weekend. We had our best scrap run ever. Turned out after the fact that he had thrown 12 HEAVY hydraulic pumps into the EM bin...and apparently the guys at Omni didnt catch it either. I called my account rep up after the fact and told him and he said, "Screw it. We've probably underpaid you on some other stuff enough by now."
 
It's my understanding that scrap prices tend to follow fuel prices (cheap gas means it's cheaper to buy foreign scrap and ship it to the US). So if you want to maximize your return, wait until the price of gas goes back up. I could be wrong though.
 
I agree with everything mentioned. Best bang is electric motor and wait if you can. Price is about half if not less right now of all time high. Throw it in a ditch behind your shop and forget about it for a few years...
 
Right scrap yard or person, alternators are higher than electric motors, almost double/triple in years past. A honest scrap yard will have a separate price for alternators/starters. There are core values for many small parts but it's tricky waters.
 
mcutler said:
Right scrap yard or person, alternators are higher than electric motors, almost double/triple in years past. A honest scrap yard will have a separate price for alternators/starters. There are core values for many small parts but it's tricky waters.
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Honest?? Scrap yard??? Never heard those two terms used in the same sentence before!!
 
Infamous1 said:
Honest?? Scrap yard??? Never heard those two terms used in the same sentence before!!
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My Dad manages a large scale machine shop. They have a bulk yard in back with tons of material. Its fenced and alarmed but they're always getting copper stolen. How can a scrap yard honestly accept pristine/unused copper rods in bulk and not question it's origin.
 
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