Is the fine copper winding wire inside old motors and transformers worth pulling out and selling separately?
Short answer: Yes, if you have enough volume to make it worthwhile — motor and transformer windings are typically enamelled copper wire, which is genuinely valuable copper but requires either burning off the enamel coating (with the same legal and quality issues as burning insulation) or selling it to a buyer specifically equipped to process enamelled wire. For a single small motor, it's often not worth the effort; for a stack of motors or transformers, it usually is.
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List Free →What winding wire actually is
Motor and transformer windings are typically fine-gauge copper wire coated in an enamel insulation rather than a plastic jacket — genuine copper value, but in a form that needs specific processing to recover cleanly.
Why it’s handled differently to standard insulated wire
Enamel coating doesn’t strip mechanically the same way plastic insulation does, so it’s typically processed through specific granulating or thermal methods at a facility equipped for it — burning it yourself carries the same legal and quality concerns as burning any other insulated wire.
When it’s worth pulling out
For a single small appliance motor, the copper recovered rarely justifies the disassembly time. For a genuine stack of motors, transformers, or similar windings — common in bulk electrical or appliance teardown work — the copper content adds up and is usually worth selling to a buyer specifically set up to process it.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
ScrapTrade lets you list motors and transformers as their own category, connecting you with buyers who specifically process winding copper rather than a generic scrap metal buyer.
Ready to sell or source wire and cable scrap without the guesswork? ScrapTrade connects verified buyers and sellers with escrow-protected payments and transparent weighing.
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