Getting Copper Out of a Washing Machine for Scrap?

[Foresty_Forest]

If someone pays me to take their washing machine away. The scrapyard will give me about £5 for it. Is it worthwhile stripping the copper out myself and taking that to the scrapyard?

 

[BubbaWY]

Depends a) how easy it is to extract the copper and B) how much you value your time.

For example, if you value your time at £20 per hour, and it takes an hour to get the copper out (for £5), then its not worth it.

 

[Gecko001]

There is copper in the wiring, but I suspect that most of the copper will be in the motor. However the motor has value in itself in the reconditioned motor market. I replaced the motor in my washing machine a few years ago. A reconditioned one cost £30 from Ebay. The reconditioning is probably just replacing the brushes, which cost only a couple of quid a pair. I suppose if the motors are too damaged to be sold again, they will strip the copper from them and sell that copper for scrap.

 

[WaveJumper]

Bearing the above in mind how much copper have you got to strip out a machine to earn more than a fiver, is it worth the time and fuel. Might be better to work on scrapping old mobile phone I hear they are full of recyclable goodies

 

[fisicx]

Take the fiver for the machine. You aren't going to get that much for the copper:

Scrap Metal Prices in the UK [2025 Updated] | Scrap Metal Pricer

Scrap Metal Pricer produces up to date scrap metal prices in the UK. Our scrap metal price data is broken down by city and by metal to ensure accuracy.

www.scrapmetalpricer.co.uk

 

[Gecko001]

I think many, if not the majority, of the machines which are sold for a fiver only have minor faults like a faulty door interlock switch and can be easily fixed and then sold on second hand for £50 to £75 each. I bought one of these second hand washing machines a few years ago and I got many more years out of it.

 

[bodgitt&scarperLTD]

If you start taking the copper out of the washing machines, the scrapyard will start charging you to take the rest, as all they will be getting is a few bits of tin and a lot of plastic.

 

[japancool]

Maybe if you ask him nicely, the copper will come out on his own.

 

[DanH]

My local scrappie jumped at the chance to take our oil boiler away after I'd stripped it of most of the copper leaving only the steel tanks/combustion chamber. I thought they'd be after the more precious metals but not so in this case...was very heavy though!

 

[KM-Tiger]

Maybe if you ask him nicely, the copper will come out on his own.

You'd have to take the washing machine to Letsby Avenue.

 

[Gecko001]

My local scrappie jumped at the chance to take our oil boiler away after I'd stripped it of most of the copper leaving only the steel tanks/combustion chamber. I thought they'd be after the more precious metals but not so in this case...was very heavy though!

I got £25 for the cast iron and steel surround of my boiler. It was 200kg.

If you start taking the copper out of the washing machines, the scrapyard will start charging you to take the rest, as all they will be getting is a few bits of tin and a lot of plastic.

There is very little plastic in a washing machine. It is mostly plain ordinary steel and stainless steel.

 

[DontAsk]

I got £25 for the cast iron and steel surround of my boiler. It was 200kg.

There is very little plastic in a washing machine. It is mostly plain ordinary steel and stainless steel.

And a bloody great lump of concrete.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

I'm told that scrap collectors make their money for the copper by having the women folk at home stripping the wiring whilst the men are out collecting. 'Every Penny counts additional income'!

Doing both jobs isn't viable.

 

[DontAsk]

SWMBO's grandad used to burn the insulation off cables at the bottom of the garden and then take the copper to weigh in.

 

[Dory]

If someone pays you to take any rubbish away you need a waste carriers licence as you are carrying waste that is not your own as part of a business - if you are the person paying to have rubbish taken away it is your duty to check they are licenced because if it ends up in a hedge and they can trace it back to you then you are liable for clean-up costs

 

[EmbraFella]

Scrap copper - £4/kg. Scrap wire - £1.50/kg

If you want to make money from an old washing machine, strip out the parts and sell them on ebay. You'll just have to wait a while for the bits to sell.

 

[Karimbo]

came here after googling just out of curiosity. Quite surprised this is on MSE and not moneysavingforums.

I recently had to dispose an old washing machine, Living in a flat with no lift and no helper to take it down. I had to dismantle the washing machine to make it wasier to handle. Took the top off, remove the ballast from the tub and then lifted the tub out and took it down in bits.

There probably is £20 in scrap metal. But honestly it's a lot of effort to do. Leave it for those who are in the trade.

If you all have businesses, your time will be much better spent optimising your landing pages, creating a blog page for new long tails, creating a couple of emails in your newsletter.

Anything that isn't your core business, and just some pocket money on the side is just procastination.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I recently had to dispose an old washing machine, Living in a flat with no lift and no helper to take it down. I had to dismantle the washing machine to make it wasier to handle. Took the top off, remove the ballast from the tub and then lifted the tub out and took it down in bits.

I would have chucked it out of the window