Scrapping an AC Condenser - How Much is an Old Air Conditioner Worth in Scrap?
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2021
- Scrapping an AC Condenser? Might be surprised how much an old air conditioner is worth in scrap! I was fortunate enough to receive one and I'm not into wasting time so let's break down this beast of a machine as quickly as possible and see what it's worth! How to make money recycling scrap metal, with thubprint.
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Music: bsmith - Industrial Scrap
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Thats whats nice about being retired .time is NOT the object.and im 76 and a scraper in a small town in mn.its a GREAT second income.
Who else clicked like when he rolled it off the truck @ 1:20? Made me laugh!
I recently partnered up with my friend who has a HVAC business and with each of his new installations I get the old unit. Ive only been scrapping a little over a year and I found your video very helpful. I never thought about breaking down the sealed units, but I will definitely do that from now on. The biggest challenge of being a female scrapper is handling those parts that physically weigh more than I do especially sealed units so thank you again for the video.
Fair enough. That sounds like a great partnership! That challenge isn’t limited to female scrappers though, I’m not the strongest variety myself so there’s plenty of weight that I struggle with. Just gotta be safe when loading and unloading, there’s real potential to hurt oneself! I think with the bigger units I’ll have to start removing the compressor before trying to load the thing in the truck, cuts the weight down a lot.
@@thubprint former outside installer here, yeah that sh!t sucks. I'd drag the old unit out with the whip disconnect, then proceed to load into the back of a box truck by myself. It helps if you have a dolly and ratchet straps, you can get on top of the bed and just pull/drag it up. We didn't have ramps on the truck either 😆
Love these. I get old office trailer units from work quite often. Keep the awesome videos coming!
My 3rd favorite kind of scrap. My 2nd is pool heaters and my first is stuff that you get for free and can resell for it's intended purpose.
I’m new to scrapping so your videos are helpful. Good video 👍
This is the best AC scraping/recycling video I have found on RUclips thanks @Thubprint
GREAT VIDEO BROTHER. You answered every question I had and even though its already half taken apart and loaded up I'm taking it out and making some more money. Thanks so much. Always True, Woody
Got my first ac unit today. Checked out your site, like I always do to see best way to make money. Thank you for the info sir. You've been a big help
I’m doing my best! Nice find on the ac unit, they’re pretty good if you can get them without the refrigerant still inside 👍
So satisfying to watch, right up my alley
Just nabbed one yesterday! Got it broken down into components and this helped me loads with how to deal with the motor and compressor. Thanks for this, helpful as always!
Really cool. I found an old window ac unit in the building we bought and I wondered what all was in it. I know it won't be that much, but better than just chucking it in the dump.
Can't wait to see more videos!!!
Very informative video as always. Thanks!
Thanks for stopping in!
These guides are awesome! Looking forward to more thub!!!
All over it buddy 😎
Bought a 500 lb lift cart from harbor freight, it lifts high enough to load and unload condensers or whatever in the F-150. It is light enough for a one man lift for transport. Also makes great table for tear downs.
I appreciate how you always go the extra mile in your content
Beautiful. Central A/C units are my favorite. Something I find that works well is using an adjustable wrench to bend the plate that stabilizes the rad out of the way of the copper loops. Then you can cut just the copper off with out having to pick the ends out of the steel afterwards.
That’s a good technique! I think it would depend on how much of the length of the steel had a right angle bend along it, the full length might be more effort spent than saved
I was about to comment this.
man. the fact that you did a REENACTMENT of you loading it really deserves kudos.
Good find, just commenting to show I'm still watching regularly. Take care mate
You too, thanks!
I'll throw you a bone! The best tool I've found for pulling motor wire out is a set of fencing plyers, grips great, twist to get leverage and pry it right out.
Thub you the man . Whenever I wake up and feel lazy and don’t wanna go strip wire or anything else scrap related. I always hear “keep doing the thing “ And that’s all the motivation I need !
You can do it buddy! Not every day, obviously. Take your rest when you need it, it’s a key part of staying effective. But when there’s work to do, you can enjoy the satisfaction of putting those muscles to do what they were made to do! 😁👌
Thank you for the content! Awesome video!
really like youre scrapping videos very good info couldnt had done it better
keep doing the thing
Thanks buddy! I still thing your air conditioner one is the best, the line about the Freon kills me 😂
Good job!
Gosh I remember when you only did cans and bottles… Look at you scrap now! Can’t believe you opened that oily unit. What a mess that makes! You handled that like a champ. Thoroughly impressed, I have a lot of respect for what you just did. That thing must’ve weighed a ton and you got it on the truck by your self, too. Wow 🤩 👍👍
“It would only have been a little bit more… but it would have been more’’ exactly right
Atta boy Thub! Great find and an informative video. Keep up the great work.
I just love any excuse to use the nice camera 😆
@@thubprint hey man do you feel comfortable enough to contact me throught email? If so hit me up ndsamurai@gmail.com I want to share pics of my scrap run. If not I totally understand. Keep doing the thing 👊
Great video
I love copper/ally radiators! They stack so nicely and neatly, it's almost like stacking $50 notes - only bigger!! 😁😁
They’re kinda pretty ain’t they 😁
What's in your wallet?
I'm about to have my first scrapping experience, cleaning out a garage where I live. Im kinda excited, but nervous too, about knowing the right differences between things.... im lucky enough to have one of those ac units in there and about 6 friges and three stoves..... so im binging on your videos tonight. Thanks so much for your help!
That sounds like a great time! Those fridges and AC units may be white elephants though.. I'd suggest making an HVAC friend or possibly someone at a place that services vehicle AC systems with a reclamation tank and getting them to capture the refrigerant, especially if it's R-22
Great job 💯💪🏻
Hi my friend, I am shooting interesting videos about copper, come to my channel, I am sure you will like it. I would be very grateful if you subscribe to the channel. Thank you 🤗🤝
Hey thub, quit my job last month and your videos gave me the confidence to do it. Thank you buddy.
Congratulations!! I wish you courage to keep moving forward through the slow weeks. It won’t always be easy, but that’s part of what makes it so rewarding. Lots of love brother!
Hey it’s May 2024 I just scrapped a 5 ton ac for $340.00
I don’t bother cutting the compressor, it’s not worth the time and cost of blades. You get about $15 for a compressor but only a few more bucks for taking it apart. The blades cost more than that
You are my day maker bro appreciate you
Nice one bro
That is a good amount of money out of 1 item, excellent video Thub :)
I thought so! Thanks so much 🙂
In the states, any copper piping that had freon run thru it is normally paid out as #2 copper; that's why I never strip out solder pieces from straight lengths
Thanks!!! You're awesome 🫠
On top of that......nice video. Nice presentation. See you next week buddy.
You know it!
Definitely pays to be strong in this hobby 🤣 I get these from an hvac buddy and luckily I can pick them by myself into the bed.
Good job
You loading up the condenser made me want to like your video you put some effort into it pretty cool keep it up
Well I’m glad I re-did it then! 😂
Good advice nice to know
Thanks....ive been sitting on 3 window and one central AC....now i know what to do
I loved this video I’ve still never found an ac hopefully I will soon
I worked at a scrap yard for many years. On those elbows of copper, they go for #2 , because of the oil and freon that go threw them. But if you get some dawn and wash them out, you will have #1 copper.
Good info on the teardown. Impressive $$$ too. I usually go with my trailer that has an old boat trailer hand winch on it. I put 30 ft of 1/4" stainless steel wire rope on it and have a power pulley just in case. At 66 I'm beginning to need help like that. Stay safe and thanks for helping the environment.
Thanks for checking it out! And that makes a lot of sense, I think taking care of one’s body should be a priority regardless of age. I recently picked up an electric motor that reminded me how nice a simple winch system would be.
I forgot to add......tHanks for the video. Great editing
What an awesome channel to find! Subbed n liked.
What an awesome comment to find! 😁 thanks for saying hi, welcome, and please let me know if you’ve got questions or anything really 😊
I get quite a few of these. It's worth it for me to pull wire our of the motors. I also pull the tubing out of the radiators. I cut the radiators so all parts are flat,lay them on my bench,cut through the aluminum directly on top of the tubes. Once this is done,i have a flat piece of steel stock that's about 2.5 feet long and 1/4" thick. I put one end on my shoulder and the other end between the tubes but on top of the aluminum and then put pressure on the piece of steel so that most of the pressure is on the radiator and a little on my shoulder. Then I drag it back towards me and the copper tubes are exposed
Love ac scraping
Lol you reenacted loading the ac. Good stuff
Go to Harbor Freight get yourself an air chisel and the pack of air chisels,to cut those ends off. I use the Chisel with the slight curve to it.. run the Chisel right down the side of it it's fast and cheap. I call the copper ends copper noodles . Recycled the copper noodles. There you have it, you don't have to use saw , blades cheaper. Good job. .
Nice info
As an a.c technician myself I have earned a fair bit of cash from scrapping condensers usually the big ones like vrv or vrf style can fetch around £160 so it's worth the extra time tearing them down always be sure though that the system has not been pumped down if the service ports are closed that is usually a clear indication that refrigerant has not been recovered in the correct way .
my yard pays #2 copper for any copper tubing from the condensor. It's because of the oil contamination. Having solder or not it still sells for #2
Nice job buddy👍. I get a lot of a/c units because of my job😁. Good work my friend😁👍👍👍
Nice! I’m excited when I get one of them, if I was in your position I feel like I’d have a lot of good days lol
@@thubprint 🤣🤣... I believe a/c units are the "most" profitable devices.... Especially if you get them for free😁. Nice work my friend... Keep going.... I love you channel😁😁😁
Dude you're a Savage for that strength
Thank you for showing this! Now I know there's oil and plenty of copper in those tanks. 👍
3:53 That is the point where I stop. I give all those ends away to a micro scrapper. I'm after the radiators
So glad, you was not over rolled by the super heavy condenser. Hope, you get paied well for an ads longer than 40 min. Had one, meanwhile I was folding my cloth. ;-) Stay safe and blessings.
A 40 MIN AD!?!? Okay I did not specify anything of the sort but I’m sure it was worth more than a 5sec one! I hope it was at least interesting 😅
I just used your link for the wire stripper!
It’s so good ☺️ absolutely perfect for my needs. And thanks for using the link, that’s a big help for me too!
@@thubprint you’re very welcome! Really enjoy your videos! Thank you for always leaving it better than you find it. It matters!
I love the way you pounded and cut up that fan. I don't have all those tools so I just take out everything pull the wires off of the connectors and that's it. I've never broken up a seal, the place I go to usually takes it in one piece and that's it I don't know exactly what's in . I've seen one in a small broken fan that is. It's great here in the states, some recycling centers they pay with their ATM machine. The receipt comes out and if it goes to or over 50 cents, it goes to the next dollar.
The yards that round off the cents suck! I'm almost always at the $0.49 so... It gets rounded down! But I only take my steel there because it's close.
Sealed units are definitely worth taking apart but it is definitely a lot of work and you still do use some consumables I've been stacking them one day this winter I'm going to start taking them apart I also do have a plasma cutter and I can cut the top off with the plasma and then cut down to can with a cutoff wheel it does speed things up a lot
Oh the plasma cutter would make it way faster! I’m not sure who mentioned the fencing pliers for removing the windings but I definitely need a set of those too
Catching some serious air tossing that shred steel. Love scrapping those big AC units. For your US viewers - be ware that many states do not allow you to bring in central AC compressors unless you can prove ownership, are an AC technician or a certified/licensed recycler. I encourage you to understand your local ordinances - just ask your yard what's allowed.
I didn’t realize how common that was! Someone mentioned in Florida it’s highly regulated, for somewhat obvious reasons. Might have been you actually?
@@thubprint It may have been, I'm regular watching your channel, really enjoy it.
Just learned that the hard way in Tennessee last week. Gave away 120lbs of clean AC rads to another guy at the yard who was bringing in a whole load of them. Tennessee requires you to be a licensed HVAC tech but my home state of PA does not.
@@alexmurphy9025 ouch, sorry about that. Same situation down here in FL.
Same here in Oklahoma. Have to be a licensed HVAC guy to sell them.
This is great, just what some newer scrappers need to see. I recently found two air-handler units, no compressor but they did have four smaller radiators/condensers, made $65 off the two of them. They took up the back of the truck I was using ( an S-10) but well worth it!
Heck yes! Your S10? That would be a great little scrap truck!
@@thubprint If only it was mine - it was a friends who was letting me use it until the insurance check came in from totalling my vehicle. I offered to buy it from him, but he wasn't selling. *LOL*
How did you get $65??
@@MrThorMNFinest Breaking the units down and selling them to a scrapyarrd.
nice pfp ^^ and congrats on the haul, I have one to scrap that's been sitting about 20 years so should be fun
I chop the dirty copper pipe in 6" lengths and tumble it in the cement mixer in sand to clean it up shiny for best price. Also cut all the solder joints from all pipe as i get it- doing anything in large batches makes you tired and lazy about the small things that add up, so best to strip motors as you get them.
OMG! You are really going to town with the scrap life..wish you had a helper! careful and don't hurt yourself 😲🧚🕊️🦋
I’ve got my helper for the smaller stuff 😊
I do try to stay safe, more or less haha
Good informative video! How much do you thing the unit would fetch as a whole item without breaking it down?
nice, i got two of these in the last two weeks, (my first two) a large apt. complex has had one out the last two rounds, not quite as big as yours, but i broke one down, pretty much identical to your process. glad to see you do the sealed motor, i haven't tackled that yet. my cu/al radiator coil was about 28 lbs, you get $1.72, i got $1.70 down here in florida, your copper price is better by 35 cents, my steel shred has climbed to 11 cents a pound (from 8) since the first of the year.
Sounds like a great pickup to me! Keep in mind I’m listing my prices in CAD, so you’re probably making more than me
@@thubprint you guys are doing pretty good up there, the u.s. dollar is only 79 cents to the canadian dollar right now, so you should have more buying power, generally. i'm only getting 40 cents for caste al, and 55 cents for sheet, extrusion better at $1.05. i have noticed a lot more trucks driving around since steel shred climbed 3 cents, but i'm in a big area, (tampa/st pete/clearwater) so finding stuff isn't hard.
@@tomitstube Noticed you are in Tamp Area, I'm inb Ft Myers and Wondering how to Satisfy the AC/ Receipt REule as I am missing the Boat on scrapping these because my 2 Scrap Yards require typed out receipts to be able to scrapo AC Units even if we break them down. Any Tips would help, Thanks much!
A true reenactment at your own expense for our entertainment! Cheers. Lol
It was… worth it? 🤣
This is interesting.
A tip for removing the copper from electric motors : first cut one half off, then put them in a (scrap) oven at the highest heat.
The plastic will be soften and you can pull the copper right out.
And easier way but no so 'environmental friendly' is to put it on a tripod gas stove and let the plastic and steel get so hot/burn so the copper can also fall out when you turn it upside down.
I scrap these all the time being in hvac and piping work. My bread and butter is brass valves tho I make a killing replacing old pipe and valves 😂
Nice! I love brass too (especially after that heap of it in the last vid) everyone gets excited about copper but brass is so CHUNKY! Make way more from piles of brass than I ever have with copper
@@thubprint exactly! Brass is so heavy, fill up a 5 gallon bucket and I can barely move the thing 😂
@@thubprint yup. Never even knew of the extra money to be made just in scrap when I picked HVAC as my career trade. I fund all my vactions just off scrap money. I think I made the right choice lol
@@ggace9872 I'm shocked that your employer doesn't have you collect that stuff for them to take.
Hey I just started doing hvac work about a month ago, anything specific I should be on the look out for ?
From the video's ive seen no one ever seems to think opening the sealed units is worth it. Another good vid :)
If you have time to spare and dont get too many at a time then yes definitely worth it, i work on 10% of the compressor weight is copper inside.
Yknow I kinda think it was worth it, I imagine I could crack through three in an hour if I had them lined up, but I wouldn’t want to unless they were real big. Most of them are not!
@@thubprint I suppose it depends what you get for them intact and the amount of time it take to crack them open, it didn't look like a whole lot of copper compared to the weight of the steel outer but then prices are quite nice at the moment. :)
i watched one video guy turned a sealed units into a gas motor and it ran !!!
Nice video! It was fun watching you take that apart.
Crying laughing while watching you wrestle that beast into your truck. I have been in the situation more times without a ramp than I’d like to admit..Looks like you got your work out today..lol
I was so fortunate to pick up those rails to use earlier in the day! I would have had to be real creative otherwise, I’ve no idea how it could be done without them tbh
@@thubprint once again allow me to be your bastion of knowledge. Hehe. Angle walk it to the back of the truck. Put the compressor side on the tailgate. Then lift the top and tip it over.
@@thubprint yeah, asking for help is usually out of the question in that situation unless in a residential area. Forsure worth the effort tho, no question. Iv seen you wear a lumbar support brace before I think, recently got one for DD and heavy lifting & it’s a god send. Idk if you still use it but your back will thank you in 15-20 down the road. All the best, keep grinding!
I picked up a stove out of a dumpster. It was very heavy and hurt my back. Then I loaded on my car too.
still going strong I see 😊
I was watching you weben you drove that Small car, and picking bottles mostly. must be 8 years ago.
I think it’s almost 8yrs now, yeah! Truck is in the shop so I’m back in the small car for the time being haha. Thanks for being here for the journey!
Around here scrapping HVAC units is difficult because of the laws to prevent theft of units. You need to show your HVAC license or a receipt of purchase for a new unit.
Nice job. I clean motors out all the time but them compressors still never tired it. I feel like the time and wear on the equipment I just can't justify. Maybe next time I come across a nice big one like that I'll do it.
I think they’re worth it if they’re big, especially because the windings are easier to remove. It would be extra frustrating to crack one open and find aluminium windings tho!
@@thubprint yes I found that interesting that you said that about the copper coming out easier with the oil. Oh man I never even thought about finding an aluminum one inside oh wow I'd be so mad 😡.
A/c's are amazing easy $80-$120 quick bucks!! Today i found a Store Drink cooler fridge and OMG, 10 pounds of raw copper, 40 lb compressor, 5 lbs #2 insulated, 2 ACR's one both weighing about 30 lbs combined, not to mention around 200 lbs of steel. Keep an eye peeled for those i never knew they had so much inside them! Blew my mind when you cut open the compressor never knew about the copper in there
Ho-leee cow that’s a BUNDLE! Yea I’ll definitely keep an eye out for those! 😆
Easiest way to load them if you cant cut the coil up on site is remove the cover on top that the fan and motor mount too cut the wires connecting to them them them remover the compressor. 4 bolts and cut the copper close as possible to compressor. Takes maybe 2 - 5 mins if you know what you're doing and watch how light it becomes once the fan motor and compressor are out of it. Alot more safer then doing as shown in the video and you dont have to worry about the oil covering everything when the compressor is on its side or throwing it out the truck like that to find out it still had a charge in it and refrigerant goes everywhere
A.c. units is all I use to scrap. I use to enjoy taking them apart and they are great yielding metals for scraping. Its getting me motivated to start looking around with HVAC companies to see if anything is available. Is looking in commercial or like apartment dumpsters illegal anywhere in the us anyone if you know?
Did hvac for years and i would always save a bunch up and scrap em all down one weekend. As long as they were evacuated of freon i could scrap out a condenser in minutes and a full package unit in under 15. Paid for a vacation everytime.
Btw you can just drill a hole in the bottom of the compressor to drain the oil. Id do a couple dozen at a time and leave em overnight to drain.
Oh that would be a lot easier with the big heavy compressors.. I need new drill bits for metal anyway
@thubprint I cannot help but to wonder. Would it be worth cutting all of the copper tubing out of a radiator ? Or taking it in with the ends cut off as you did. Between the time it would take and the price difference has me curious. Maybe if you have 2 of them you could give it a shot for us ?
I wondered about that too, I doubt that cutting the copper tubing out will be a very productive use of time for most people though. I used to mess with that when I was younger and even a small window AC coil took me forever to cut up, I couldn't even imagine trying to do a whole central AC coil. The other thing is the thin wall tubing running through the fins is a lot lighter than you'd think, per foot it hardly weighs anything compared to the thick wall tubing we're used to working with.
Thanks i was needing that question answered...
M8 cheers on your efforts to use the speed wrench , better known as hammer . Do you know that the newer airconditionairs like you showed , are made with aluminum radiators , no longer aluminum , copper?
That will be a challenge to make any profit, and how do you dispose of your compresor oil ?
Please let us know . Keep up the good work. God bless y'all.
My area has free hazardous waste dropoff locations, so I put it in a jug and haul it over there. Didn’t realize newer ones were all aluminum! That’s a lot less valuable 😭
Do you or have you took the copper out of the radiator? If so what would they then classify it as. Clean aluminum?
I kept the capacitor; wiring sensors; reverse valve; fan motor/blade. But for the rest of it my yard only gave me $13. 1 lb of wire $0.50. 2 lbs of copper and 80 lbs of steel. $13. Their prices was low and they didn't weigh everything.
great one ;) BIG AC hehe
Love me a big AC!
@@thubprint ;)
I always cut open my compressors from fridge compressors to air conditioning compressors. Well worth doing if the windings are copper. I'm finding now more and more compressors have aluminium windings.
I haven’t done enough to find an aluminium one, but that sounds annoying as heck
the last bulk #2 I took in was at @3.05 per pound ........for a grand total of $614.00 US........then again I do new appliance deliveries and get the junk for free .........atm I'm popping open appliance PC board relays for silver contacts and copper winding's.....its what I do at night to still make money.
Great info. Just curious, is it worth separating the aluminum fins from the copper tubing inside?
Idk why I like scrap metal probably cause I used to take stuff apart when I was a kid, but I started a iPhone repair business with those skills lol.
Do you have a playlist of stuff on how to dismantle things? If not it be super useful for people looking to do a certain item like this A.C thank you :)
I like that idea! I don’t think I have one yet, just a general scrap one
I love those AC units, we don't really see them much here in England!
I suppose you don’t have heat waves super often there huh?
@@thubprint one extreme to the other, heavy rain or too hot, but more rain lol
I don't get many but I've just taken one apart last week. Luckily it was degassed. I keep the compressors till I have several and do them all in one go.
🇬🇧
@@howardchambers9679 Awesome👍
I cut and separate all of the copper tubing from the joints to maximize my #1 copper. There is some stainless steel inside of the compressor, and the metal block around the motor windings can actually go into your heavy steel pile for about double the price of regular steel shred. The body of the compressor can also usually go in the heavy steel pile if it's close to 1/4" thick.
The next video you should make is : How to cure your scrapping addiction 😂😂😂, I just one day chuck all my loose stuff round my house onto my truck and was shocked when i was handed a hand full of money, that scrap was all mixed .... now that i found your videos , i cant wait to take the next item apart and see whats inside .... enjoy your stuff 👌👍👍
I just did 9 Ac on Thursday there good money
Wow!!! That’s a great score!
My central air was a Defect. Wrong Evaporator installed with my 410R. The hell with it. I now have two window air conditioners.
Hey buds. Curious which place is the best copper place? Im local and wouldnt mind a heads up.