Make sure you get the most money for your scrap after you finish a job. Between cable off-cuts, old switchboards and stripped-out gear, a single fit-out can fill a bin with metal worth real money at the yard. This guide is for electricians, electrical contractors and apprentices who want to know which metals are worth keeping aside, and how you can scrap metal for cash with the team at Action Metal Recyclers.
Copper Is the One to Watch
Copper is the most valuable metal an electrician handles day to day. House wiring, submains, three phase cable and bus bar all carry good scrap value. Insulated cable is welcome as is, but stripped copper grades higher. We cover this in detail in our Sparkie’s guide to recycling insulated copper cable, and you can read how the metal is graded on our copper recycling page.
Keep heavy mains cable separate from thin data and comms cable. The thicker copper inside the heavy stuff sits higher on the price ladder.
Brass From Fittings and Old Gear
Brass turns up in older fittings, terminals, valves and some light fittings. It is heavier than it looks and adds up over time. Toss brass off-cuts into their own tub rather than the general steel pile. See our brass recycling page for what we take.
Aluminium Cable, Conduit and Enclosures
Aluminium shows up in some submains cable, conduit, cable tray and outdoor enclosures. It is light per piece but stacks up fast on a strip-out. Keep clean aluminium away from steel so it can be weighed on its own. More detail is on our aluminium page.
Steel Switchboards, Trays and Conduit
Steel switchboard cabinets, cable tray, ladder, channel and galvanised conduit are all worth bringing in. Steel pays less per kilo than copper or brass, but the volume off a commercial job makes it well worth the load. Our steel page has the full list.
Electric Motors and Transformers
Old motors, pumps and small transformers carry copper windings inside a steel case. Bring them in whole. There is no need to pull them apart. You can scrap them for cash with Action Metal Recyclers.
Sort As You Go for the Best Return
The sparkies who earn the most keep a few tubs in the ute or workshop and sort metal as they pull it out. Copper one way, brass another, aluminium and steel in their own piles. A little sorting up front means a cleaner weigh-in and a better return at the scales.
Turn Your Scrap Into Cash
For regular off-cuts, drop into your nearest yard, open Monday to Friday 7:00am to 4:30pm and Saturday 7:00am to 11:30am. For a big strip-out or fit-out, book a scrap metal bin for staged loads, or our Weigh and Pay service which brings the scales to site. Get in touch through our contact page to set up a regular drop.
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