# Copper hoarding (Cashing it in rules)



## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

So I have this bin that I keep stripped copper wires in for years now. Its pilled up pretty high. Over the years I've heard people breaking in empty homes to get copper out of homes and have also heard of local metal receiving shops having strict guidelines to turn in copper. 

What are the rules in your area to turn in copper? If any?


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Must show ID and for pieces that look like torn out wiring or AC coils you need some sort of proof that you are doing the work such as a receipt for a new AC unit or a license to be a plumber.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

In my area of Pennsylvania they require a driver's license. Just talk to them and explain you have had it a while and have been saving it up.

The absolute worst thing I have heard about copper was stealing veterans grave markers, those people need to get kicked in the teeth....


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Makes sense. I go through a lot of copper wire from cables and cords. Takes me awhile to strip them, and they are thin, but I roll them up around my hand and tie them, throw them in the bin.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

ID here....most of the cords and romex I have I keep for other projects though.I have a tote full of cast off stuff like that.


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## Infidel (Dec 22, 2012)

Yep I have a couple of 5 gallon buckets that I keep wire in, then once it's stripped I deposit it in another bucket. Stripping it can be a major PITA though. Need to teach my boys how to strip wire I guess to relieve me of duty. All scrap metal money is fun money for me. I also pull all the tabs of soda/beer cans, you'd be surprised how fast that adds up. I've got probably 10 pounds of scrap aluminum in 1 gallon ziplocks just from pulling those tabs. I started saving them for my boys' elementary school but they never said when we could bring them in or how to turn them in, guess they don't want the stuff. Oh well more money in my pocket.

-Infidel


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

My dad, an electrical contractor/electrician would burn the insulation of the small wire, 18 thru 10 and Romex or UF cables. Only wire over 10 did we strip. At the time, he only lost a few pennies per pound on the copper that was burned.
After he passed and me and my brothers were cleaning out the basement, we found a 8 foot long, 2 feet high, 10 inch thick cooler condenser or evaporator. It took four us to get it out of the basement. Since it appeared to be galvanized metal, we were going to through it in the 20 yard hopper with all the other ferrous metal. I took out my knife and scraped the fins. Turned out to be tinned copper. Got a fair penny for my mother. Also found disintegrated boxes of the old wire used in "knob and tube" wiring from days of old. The "fabric" insulation was falling off. 
The scrap yard owner knew our family well enough to not question us.


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## ayesha (Jan 27, 2015)

It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” – Henry Ford


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

survival said:


> So I have this bin that I keep stripped copper wires in for years now. Its pilled up pretty high. Over the years I've heard people breaking in empty homes to get copper out of homes and have also heard of local metal receiving shops having strict guidelines to turn in copper.
> 
> What are the rules in your area to turn in copper? If any?


My local scrapyard:

ID required

No burned wire

Receipts required for A/C Components

There is lots of theft going on with copper. People are breaking into substations and businesses to cash in. Air conditioners amd electric motors are the primary targets due to their high #1 copper content.


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## Mule13 (Dec 30, 2012)

both here in Florida and in north carolina you must show your drivers licenses and also stand by your vehicle and have your picture taken with license plate in the picture. not sure about NC but here you can no longer turn in burnt copper. i also noticed that copper sells for more then brass now days. brass used to pay way more than copper but not now.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

photo ID, fingerprint, video. You have to be licensed HVAC to turn in units. Often times this is not fully adhered to. You can do better collecting crackheads and tweekers that have warrants at the scrapyards than you can money.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

ayesha said:


> It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning." - Henry Ford


Random post of the day winner.
I haven't sold copper in NM, the company I work for has had a few thefts, caught one guy inside the fence.
I will ask my wife's oldest son, he used to scrap the wire out of old tv's.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

The only recycling place around here closed.

The son of a member of our church was out stealing copper wire from a closed factory. The power lines going in im told, part of it was still carrying electricity. He died.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

James m said:


> The only recycling place around here closed.
> 
> The son of a member of our church was out stealing copper wire from a closed factory. The power lines going in im told, part of it was still carrying electricity. He died.


Oops, Anybody heard of the "Darwin Award"?


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

We had that in town, for reals. Workers found a mummified body holding bolt cutters down inside of a manhole. He'd been down there for about 9 months and no one noticed. His crack-head buddies already pawned his stuff likely. How stupid is that, to cut live wires. Bet he had a surprised look on his face.


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