Short answer: The copper content, or yield, varies widely with the cable type, from a modest share of the weight in thick cable with heavy insulation or armour, to a much higher share in simple building wire, so test by stripping a measured sample, weighing the copper and the insulation and working out the percentage, which will tell you far more than any general rule of thumb.
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List Free →Yield depends on construction
Thick insulation, multiple cores and armour all reduce the share of copper in the total weight.
Test a sample
Strip a metre or two, weigh the copper and the insulation, and calculate the percentage.
Use it to compare
The yield tells you what insulated cable is really worth compared with the price of bare copper.
How ScrapTrade Fits In
ScrapTrade buyers price insulated wire according to its type, so you can see the likely return.
The right choice with wire is often the simplest one. ScrapTrade connects you with verified buyers, transparent weighing and escrow-protected payments.
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