Copper Price Calculator
Estimate the value of your scrap copper before heading to the scrap yard. This calculator helps you determine the potential payout based on the weight of your copper and the current price per pound offered by your local recycler.
How to Use the Copper Price Calculator
- Enter the Weight of Copper: Weigh your scrap copper and enter the total weight into the "Weight of Copper" field.
- Select the Weight Unit: Choose the unit you used for weighing your copper from the dropdown menu (Pounds, Kilograms, Ounces, or Grams).
- Enter the Scrap Price: Input the price your local scrap yard is paying per pound for the specific grade of copper you have. You may need to call them to get the most current rate.
- Calculate: Click the "Calculate Value" button to see the estimated total value of your scrap.
Understanding Copper Grades and Pricing
The price you receive for scrap copper depends heavily on its grade. It's crucial to separate your copper by type to maximize your payout. Here are the most common grades:
- Bare Bright Copper: This is the highest quality and most valuable grade. It consists of bare, uncoated, and unalloyed copper wire, no smaller than 16 gauge. It must be clean, with no signs of paint, solder, or insulation.
- #1 Copper: This grade includes clean copper tubing, clippings, and wire that is not bare bright. It may have a slight patina but should be free of solder, paint, and significant corrosion.
- #2 Copper: This is copper with some impurities. It includes copper pipe with solder joints, light paint, or significant oxidation. Insulated copper wire with a copper content of at least 60% can also fall into this category. Its price is noticeably lower than #1 copper.
- Light Copper / Sheet Copper: This category includes items like copper roofing, gutters, downspouts, and boilers. It has the lowest value among the common grades due to its lower copper density and potential for contamination.
Note: The price you enter should correspond to the grade of copper you have. Scrap yards offer different prices for each grade.
Example Calculation
Let's say you have collected a box of old copper pipes and fittings from a plumbing project.
- After weighing, you find you have 45 pounds of copper.
- Because the pipes have solder on the joints, it qualifies as #2 Copper.
- You call your local scrap yard, and they are currently paying $3.15 per pound for #2 copper.
Using the calculator, you would enter 45 for weight (in lbs) and 3.15 for the price. The calculation would be: 45 lbs * $3.15/lb = $141.75 estimated value.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is the scrap yard price different from the market (COMEX/LME) price?
The market price is for large-volume, high-purity copper futures contracts. Scrap yards have operational costs, including transportation, sorting, processing, and their own profit margin. Therefore, the price they pay will always be lower than the spot market price.
How can I get the best price for my copper?
To maximize your return, sort your copper into the different grades mentioned above. Strip any insulation from wires if it's feasible and safe to do so. Finally, call a few different scrap yards in your area, as prices can vary from one yard to another.
Is it worth stripping insulated copper wire?
It depends. For thick gauge wire, stripping the insulation can significantly increase its value by upgrading it from a low-value insulated wire category to #1 or #2 copper. For thin wires (like those in electronics), the amount of labor involved may not be worth the increase in value.