Scrapping capacitors: are they worth opening and separating the metals?

Hello scrapers and planet lovers. In this video, I do a small experiment to see if scrapping and separating the metals in capacitors are worth the time and money. I will show you how to identify the metals and separate them properly in order to help maximize your profit.

[@ABrokenSociety]

Man your videos are an excellent source of scrapping info, Tinman. I'm glad you're on here!

[@TinManScrapper]

Thank you for watching and that huge compliment!

[@gabey9064]

Hey Mr Firth. It's me Adam Vasey. I see u are doing very well on your KZbin channel now. Congrats on 15K subs! Keep up the great work man.

[@TinManScrapper]

Thank you very much! I hope you are doing well.

[@ToadalSimplicity]

Love the channel and appreciate the work! A major point of concern that everyone should be aware of is that pre-1980s capacitors often contain PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) - look it up. It's nasty stuff and extremely carcinogenic and bad for the planet. It's been banned since the late 70s, but you never know what people might be scrapping out there. PCB contamination is serious stuff. From what I've found, most microwaves now use mineral oil with anti-corrosion agents, but it's probably still not great for regular human contact/exposure and probably has requirements for responsible handling/disposal. Just scrap the capacitors whole even if you think the difference in price is worth your time/effort (it's not). Recycling plants and scrap yards aren't perfect but at least they're located in industrial zones and should have additional regulatory requirements for how they are constructed to reduce environmental runoff, and should be trained/following the necessary procedures for handling and disposing of toxic waste. Don't throw unknown oils or liquids down your sink or on your lawn. You're contaminating your body, your property, and the environment/ground water for other people.

[@TinManScrapper]

Thanks for the comment and the kind words. I am amazed that some do remove the aluminum, but different methods for different folks. Stay well and happy scrapping

[@scrappingwithbillyj2523]

Thank you for this video! I’m just going to bring them in as is, with my Ewaste👍🏻good video!👍🏻

[@murlbailer3755]

I often wondered about those but never took one apart. Certainly had enough chances. 🐎🌻✌️

[@donvoll2580]

Good day James Interesting. Thanks

[@bigcountryscrapper6885]

Great video

[@maxcloutier5285]

Nice video. I was scared to open these. Now, I am sure that I wont open them anyway.

[@zerocool7772]

Not worth it mate

[@paulcoenen7918]

Gotta love Robbie , he will take apart anything so we don't have to. To the shred bucket they go😅

[@fredkaningok6460]

Ty!

[@chasharris1976]

That is very interesting

[@TinManScrapper]

Thanks for watching. Stay well

[@cognac8297]

Thanks to us planet scrappers, now the industries can offer rebuilt parts. Go scrappers We love ya

[@ShiningForce07]

As i googled it they use electrical grade castor oil in some of these which are non toxic and non flammable.

[@CandSMINING]

How about the ceramic caps from PC boards? do you process them?😎😎🔥🔥⛏⛏

[@TinManScrapper]

I do take the ceramic capacitors yes. They contain silver inside some, although I have not processed yet, just been saving

[@thomjacobs5334]

I put them in my dirty aluminum scrap. My scrap yard is paying 15 cents a pound for dirty aluminum and is better than steel prices now.

[@murrayjohnson3686]

Well the old ones use PCB'S as a coolant same thing for any ballast made before 1979 good luck they all have date codes .

[@msowdal]

The material wound inside is most likely aluminum as well but is anodized, may be aluminum coated mylar... wouldn't hurt to check.

[@TinManScrapper]

My hands smelled of the inside liquid for a whole day and even after washing several times

[@mysterybuyer3738]

I tried selling them as a lot on eBay and the price was low. Someone wanted to know every little detail about all of them and was not worth the effort. They sat on eBay for like 6 months then I pulled the listing and threw them in there with the shred.

[@TinManScrapper]

Yeah, I would have too. Sometimes it is better just to scrap an item. At least better than going into the landfill

[@Brothersonyoutube]

So capacitors from motherboards are not worth keeping? I only know of a few things that are worth anything on a motherboard. The small stuff I don't know what they are.

[@TinManScrapper]

yup, leave capacitors from motherboards on for the weight. There is no separate category for them at a yard other than ewaste

[@tjizzle8155]

I dont......Palladian and silver

[@deborahclark1136]

I usually just throw them in shred, too messy to deal with.

[@donvoll2580]

Good day Yes I do to. Thanks

[@LeviWalton777]

$0.03/lb? 😮 I heard of someone who said they take $3 per capacitor.

[@TinManScrapper]

yeah, it all depends on where you live. I know a lot of people have commented on our price of copper and aluminum compared to their price.

[@charlesmatthews9946]

The sheets of metal inside can be valuable it can be aluminum it cab be silver platinum exc exc .the right one can be very valuable

[@artstrology]

Do you know which types have silver or platinum ?

[@charlesmatthews9946]

@Artstrology no I don't but there is info on the net somewhere I've seen a few videos. Been along time ago I need to research myself I've just been saving them all for know.

[@artstrology]

@@charlesmatthews9946 My thought is to look at the historical chart for platinum and see where it may have been feasible to use in capacitors, and that would at least give me a date range. It would have to be early stuff I imagine.

[@charlesmatthews9946]

@@artstrology yes I'd say so to

[@charlesmatthews9946]

@@artstrology silver possibly could be newer stuff

[@kathybirkett7986]

If you unroll the "paper" part, there is metal there too... aluminum, if I recall correctly. I'm not sure under which category you would sell that, but I melt all my aluminum for art projects, so I take that too.

[@diymaster101]

Yes there are aluminium

[@CanadianTreasureHunter]

Some could contain PCB oil, Always were gloves

[@pgh1729]

Hey I wanted you to see this after watching your radiator video. Your working too hard. Put a cut on every copper pipe right in the middle of the pipe with a cut off wheel or knife in your case. In the aluminum space between each pipe take a fat philips heads screwdriver and push hard and drag it against all the way down the aluminum between each pipe and the pipes literally fall out after that with zero effort. Your doing too much man, you will love this technique, it actually makes rads worth doing time/effort wise. Good luck.

[@artstrology]

You are saying, take coils apart and separate the aluminum and copper ? Instead of just handing over the coil ?

[@williammeeks1283]

I just throw mine in with my tin shred because my yard offers nothing for them

[@tommyulman6623]

so you are better off to leave them in the appliance and get shred price

[@TinManScrapper]

Yup.

[@scrappinaussie]

Nah mate not worth pulling apart no way. My yard doesn't even buy these as a whole i bin maybe 10 or so each week

[@Tom-pi1cz]

Big mistake messing with that

[@TinManScrapper]

Again, some people take them apart. I wanted to answer the question if it was worth it and also what was inside.

[@Tom-pi1cz]

@@TinManScrapper no offense meant Tinman ! I love and appreciate your videos !

[@majortom1164]

STOP using a magnet and then calling the metal tin. Only Iron, nickle and cobalt are magnetic.

[@TinManScrapper]

Those are the categories at a scrapyard: tin/shred or steel

[@whatarewedoing0]

the paper and stuff inside is the actual capacitor so it will have two diff metals rolled up so should still be scrap value id think

[@tjizzle8155]

Well......well.......well......good to see Ron desantis is good with his hands.....even wearing ppe.....he better.....President Trump will get em

[@TinManScrapper]

I got a good laugh out of that. I would like his political power for sure. Thanks for the comment and the humour, I do appreciate it.

[@TheCaptainLulz]

Naw. Not worth my time. And the biphenyl ones are a sticky nasty mess.

[@charlesmatthews9946]

Dont forget they can hold a charge