Aluminum Transformers Scrap Price

Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap consists of heat-exchanger cores made primarily from copper tubing and aluminum cooling fins. Commonly called Al/Cu Radiator Scrap, Cu/Al Radiator Scrap or ACR Scrap, these materials are recovered from air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigeration systems and other industrial cooling equipment.

Under ReMA/ISRI specifications, qualifying clean material is classified as Talk: Aluminum Copper Radiators. Scrap value depends on copper and aluminum recovery, cleanliness, attached steel, preparation, market conditions and the receiving buyer's requirements.

What Is Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap?

Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap consists of a combination of copper tubes and closely spaced aluminum fins used in heat-exchanger assemblies.

Its purpose during service is to transfer heat between a fluid flowing through the tubing and the surrounding air.

In air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment, these assemblies are often technically called condenser coils or evaporator coils. The scrap-metal trade commonly describes them as radiators, AC coils or Al/Cu radiator cores.

The material is valuable because copper and aluminum can both be recovered for secondary-metal manufacturing.

Important distinction: Not every heat exchanger contains copper tubing. Some modern equipment uses all-aluminum designs, while other systems contain different combinations of metals. Confirm the construction before assigning a scrap grade.

ReMA/ISRI Talk: Aluminum Copper Radiators Specification

The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) maintains the ISRI Specifications used as reference descriptions for commercial recycled-metal transactions.

Talk is the recognized specification for Aluminum Copper Radiators.

It covers clean aluminum-and-copper radiators and/or aluminum fins on copper tubing.

What Material Qualifies as Talk?

• Clean copper-tube and aluminum-fin radiator cores
• Suitable air-conditioning heat-exchanger coils
• Qualifying refrigeration and cooling cores
• Other aluminum/copper heat exchangers meeting the written specification

What Is Excluded From Talk?

The standardized specification requires material to be free of:

• Brass tubing
• Iron and steel contamination
• Other foreign contamination

Large steel end plates, mounting frames, plastic housings and other foreign components must be addressed before material can meet the clean grade.

Specification note: ReMA Talk does not establish a universal copper-to-aluminum percentage or a fixed scrap price. Additional quality requirements may be agreed upon between buyer and seller.

What Does ACR Mean in Scrap Metal?

ACR is commonly used in scrap trading to identify aluminum/copper radiator cores associated with air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment.

Scrap yards may use descriptions such as:

• Al/Cu Radiators
• Cu/Al Radiators
• ACR Scrap
• AC Coils
• Aluminum Copper Radiators
• Clean ACR
• Dirty ACR
• Al/Cu Radiators /Fe

These commercial descriptions may differ in their contamination allowances, so sellers should compare the receiving yard's definitions rather than names alone.

How Do Copper/Aluminum Heat Exchangers Work?

Copper tubing carries refrigerant, coolant or another heat-transfer fluid through the assembly.

Thin aluminum fins increase the surface area available for heat exchange with surrounding air.

The arrangement helps move heat between the working fluid and the environment.

Depending on the equipment, the coil may absorb heat from an air stream or release heat into it.

The exact design, tubing arrangement and materials depend on the manufacturer and intended application.

Where Are Copper/Aluminum Radiators Found?

Al/Cu heat exchangers are used in residential, commercial and industrial cooling systems.

• Central air conditioners: Suitable evaporator and condenser coils
• Window air conditioners: Compact heat-exchanger assemblies
• Heat pumps: Refrigerant-to-air heat exchangers
• Commercial refrigerators: Cooling coils and heat exchangers
• Walk-in coolers and freezers: Refrigeration coils
• Refrigerated display cases: Suitable cooling assemblies
• Industrial chillers: Applicable heat-exchanger components
• Cooling equipment: Selected liquid-to-air heat exchangers

Not every unit in these categories contains an Al/Cu core. Materials should be verified during equipment dismantling or scrap sorting.

Clean vs. Dirty Copper/Aluminum Radiators

Scrap yards frequently distinguish clean Al/Cu radiator cores from dirty or irony assemblies.

Clean Al/Cu Radiators

Clean cores consist primarily of copper tubing and aluminum fins, with disallowed steel, brass tubing and other foreign contamination removed.

Material meeting the full ReMA Talk specification may qualify for a clean Talk-grade purchase.

Dirty or Irony Al/Cu Radiators

Dirty radiators commonly have attached steel or other foreign components, such as:

• Steel end plates
• Iron brackets and mounting frames
• Heavy steel clips or fasteners
• Plastic fan housings
• Rubber components
• Other nonmetallic attachments

Dirty material may be accepted under an Al/Cu Radiators /Fe, Irony Al/Cu Radiator or other buyer-specific grade.

Related Material Guide: Copper/Aluminum Radiators /Fe Scrap: Dirty ACR Identification and Recycling.

What Does /Fe Mean on Copper/Aluminum Radiators?

Fe is the chemical symbol for iron.

In scrap-market terminology, Al/Cu Radiators /Fe generally describes a copper-and-aluminum radiator that still contains iron or steel attachments.

These attachments increase the total weight without contributing additional recoverable copper or aluminum.

For that reason, buyers may pay a different rate for clean radiators and /Fe material.

A /Fe assembly should not be represented as clean Talk until the required foreign materials have been removed.

Should You Remove Steel Ends From an Al/Cu Radiator?

Removing steel-bearing ends can increase the proportion of copper and aluminum in the remaining core and may improve the accepted scrap grade.

However, cleaning a radiator does not automatically increase the seller's total profit.

Before preparing a commercial load, compare:

• The clean Al/Cu radiator price
• The dirty or /Fe radiator price
• The weight remaining after preparation
• The weight and possible value of removed ends
• Labor and processing costs
• Additional handling and transportation expenses

Commercial guidance: Calculate the total net proceeds from both alternatives. A higher clean-grade price per pound does not establish that dismantling is economically worthwhile.

What Are Copper/Aluminum Radiator Ends?

Copper/Aluminum Radiator Ends are sections removed during the preparation of Al/Cu heat-exchanger cores.

These may include steel-bearing end plates, copper tube bends and other materials cut from the ends of a radiator.

Some scrap yards maintain separate purchasing grades for radiator ends or cutoffs.

Depending on the construction and the buyer's requirements, removed ends may be sold separately rather than combined with the clean core.

See RecyclingMonster's Copper/Aluminum Radiator Ends Scrap Guide for related material information.

Copper/Aluminum vs. Copper/Brass Radiators

Copper/Aluminum Radiators and Copper/Brass Radiators have different metal compositions and belong to separate scrap streams.

Copper/Aluminum Radiators

These generally contain copper tubing combined with lightweight aluminum fins.

Copper/Brass Radiators

These contain copper and brass components and are associated with certain automotive, industrial and older radiator designs.

The metal content, recovery process and accepted pricing may differ significantly between the two categories.

Do not combine copper/brass radiator scrap with clean Talk material without buyer approval.

Copper/Aluminum vs. All-Aluminum Radiators

All-aluminum heat exchangers use aluminum for the primary tubing and fin structure rather than copper tubing combined with aluminum fins.

ReMA maintains a separate specification for clean all-aluminum automobile radiators and condensers, identified as Tally.

Under Tally, contaminants including iron, plastic and foam must not exceed a combined 1% of weight. Other deviations require buyer-seller agreement.

The Tally specification should not automatically be assigned to every all-aluminum HVAC coil, since it specifically describes automobile radiator and condenser material.

For market comparisons, visit Aluminum Radiators Scrap Prices.

How to Identify Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap

Correct identification requires confirming the core materials and inspecting attachments.

1. Confirm the equipment type: Identify the air-conditioning, refrigeration or cooling assembly.
2. Inspect the tubes: Look for copper tubing visible at exposed or accessible sections.
3. Check the fins: Aluminum fins generally have a silver-gray appearance.
4. Inspect tube bends: U-shaped copper bends may be visible at the ends of many coil designs.
5. Use a magnet: Identify ordinary steel and iron brackets or plates.
6. Check attachments: Inspect fan housings, frames, plastic and rubber components.
7. Identify brass: Check for brass tubing or other foreign metal parts.
8. Confirm refrigerant status: Ensure the equipment has been properly serviced and made safe before disassembly.
9. Verify buyer classification: Determine whether clean Talk, /Fe or another category applies.

Identification warning: A magnet is useful for detecting many ferrous attachments, but it cannot determine copper or aluminum alloy chemistry. Do not cut an unknown or potentially charged refrigerant circuit for identification.

Are Copper/Aluminum Radiators Magnetic?

The copper tubing and aluminum fins are nonferrous and do not normally respond strongly to an ordinary magnet.

A strong magnetic response often indicates attached steel or iron.

Common examples include mounting brackets, end plates, bolts and frames.

Magnetic screening can help separate clean cores from ferrous-contaminated material, but it does not independently establish compliance with the full Talk specification.

Can Brass Tubing Be Included in Clean Al/Cu Radiators?

No. ReMA Talk specifically requires the material to be free of brass tubing.

Brass tubing and significant foreign fittings should be identified and separated according to the buyer's clean-grade requirements.

Some buyers may accept contaminated assemblies under a different grade, but the material should not be represented as clean Talk.

Refrigerant Recovery Before Recycling HVAC Coils

Air-conditioning, heat-pump and refrigeration equipment can contain refrigerant under pressure.

Before dismantling equipment or cutting into a refrigeration circuit, applicable refrigerant recovery and safe-handling requirements must be followed.

In the United States, EPA Section 608 regulations govern refrigerant handling and safe disposal for covered equipment. Different requirements apply depending on the type of equipment and whether it is dismantled on-site or enters the waste stream intact.

For equipment dismantled on-site, refrigerant generally must be recovered according to applicable servicing requirements before disposal.

Special safe-disposal rules apply to certain appliances that enter the waste stream with their refrigerant charge intact.

Canadian and other jurisdictions have their own applicable refrigerant management requirements.

Critical safety rule: Do not puncture, cut or disconnect a charged refrigerant circuit simply to remove its copper/aluminum coil. Arrange compliant refrigerant recovery and verification before mechanical dismantling.

Can Copper Tubes Be Separated From Aluminum Fins?

Copper tubing and aluminum fins can be separated through suitable industrial mechanical recycling processes.

Specialized processors may use controlled sizing, shredding and metal-separation equipment to recover copper-rich and aluminum-rich material fractions.

Manual dismantling can be labor-intensive, particularly for tightly packed heat-exchanger cores.

For many sellers, disposing of properly prepared clean cores through an accepted Al/Cu radiator grade may be more practical than individually separating the tubing and fins.

The appropriate method depends on recoverable material, processing cost, equipment and buyer requirements.

Is Copper Tubing Removed From ACR Scrap #1 Copper?

Not automatically.

Copper tubing recovered from HVAC coils may contain brazing material, solder, coatings, oxidation or other attachments.

These conditions affect whether the separated tubing qualifies for #1 Copper, #2 Copper or another commercial grade.

Do not place recovered radiator tubing in a premium clean-copper shipment unless it meets the buyer's accepted specification.

For general comparisons, visit Copper Scrap Prices.

Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap Prices

Al/Cu Radiator Scrap prices reflect the recoverable copper and aluminum content, material condition, preparation, market conditions and purchasing arrangements.

Important Pricing Factors

• Copper content: Proportion of recoverable copper tubing
• Aluminum content: Recoverable aluminum-fin material
• Market conditions: Copper and aluminum prices and downstream demand
• Accepted grade: Clean Talk, dirty /Fe or another buyer-specific category
• Steel contamination: Amount of ferrous material attached
• Other attachments: Plastic, rubber, brass and unrelated metal
• Preparation: Whether the radiator ends have been removed
• Material condition: Dirt, oil, oxidation and other contamination
• Quantity: Shipment size and consistency
• Location: Freight costs, processor access and local competition

Available Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap Prices

Review RecyclingMonster's available price records below. Confirm that the material is identified as Cu/Al Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators or an appropriate equivalent clean grade.

Check the reporting date, location, currency and unit before comparing purchasing rates.

price

Additional grade-specific market observations can be researched through Copper Scrap Prices and Aluminum Scrap Prices.

General copper and aluminum scrap averages are not direct prices for a complete Al/Cu heat exchanger.

Are Clean Al/Cu Radiators Worth More Than Dirty Radiators?

Clean radiator cores commonly receive a higher purchasing price per pound than similar cores containing substantial steel or other foreign attachments.

This is because a greater proportion of the clean material's weight consists of the desired copper and aluminum.

However, the net financial benefit of removing attachments depends on recovered weight, the value of radiator ends and the cost of additional preparation.

Compare clean and dirty quotations from the same buyer where possible before processing large quantities.

How to Sort and Prepare Al/Cu Radiator Scrap

Preparation should focus on safe equipment handling, correct metal identification and the receiving buyer's grade requirements.

1. Confirm refrigerant recovery: Do not dismantle charged refrigeration equipment.
2. Identify the core: Verify copper tubes and aluminum fins.
3. Separate radiator types: Keep Al/Cu, all-aluminum and copper/brass radiators apart.
4. Inspect ferrous attachments: Identify steel ends, frames and mounting hardware.
5. Separate clean and dirty material: Use the buyer's accepted grade definitions.
6. Address brass tubing: Do not include prohibited brass tubing in clean Talk loads.
7. Remove foreign components where appropriate: Evaluate plastic, rubber and other attached materials.
8. Collect radiator ends separately: Where the buyer maintains a dedicated ends category.
9. Confirm dimensions: Ask about acceptable lengths, containers and packaging.
10. Record shipment details: Document weight, grade, source and preparation.

Safety note: Aluminum fins can have sharp edges, and radiator preparation may involve heavy equipment. Use suitable handling procedures, protective equipment and mechanical safeguards. Do not use uncontrolled burning or cutting methods to remove foreign material.

How Are Copper/Aluminum Radiators Recycled?

Properly prepared Al/Cu Radiators can be processed into separate copper-rich and aluminum-rich recycling streams.

A professional recycling operation may include:

1. Receiving and inspection: Material is weighed and graded.
2. Equipment safety verification: Any applicable refrigerant-management requirements are checked.
3. Attachment removal: Steel, plastic and other unwanted components are separated where required.
4. Core preparation: Suitable material is sized or mechanically processed.
5. Metal separation: Copper and aluminum fractions are recovered using suitable equipment.
6. Material quality checks: The recovered fractions are evaluated for contamination and downstream suitability.
7. Secondary-metal recovery: Accepted material enters appropriate copper or aluminum processing facilities.
8. Manufacturing: Recovered metals can become feedstock for new industrial products.

Not every recycler uses the same recovery equipment or process sequence. Some facilities specialize in purchasing prepared cores, while others carry out additional separation and metal recovery.

Where Can You Sell Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap?

Al/Cu Radiator Scrap may be purchased by nonferrous scrap yards, HVAC equipment recyclers and specialized metal processors.

Some businesses purchase both clean and dirty cores, while others only accept material prepared to a specific grade.

yards

RecyclingMonster maintains an AL/CU Radiators Recycling Centers Directory for facilities listing this accepted material.

For material already prepared to a clean grade, browse Aluminum Copper Radiators (Clean) Recycling Centers.

Additional facilities can be researched using Recycle an Item or the Metal Recycling Centers Directory.

Contact buyers to confirm their current acceptance of Al/Cu radiator scrap, contamination limits, quantity requirements, collection services and purchasing prices.

Bulk Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap: Commercial Selling Requirements

HVAC contractors, refrigeration companies, demolition businesses, appliance dismantlers and industrial maintenance operations may generate substantial quantities of Al/Cu coils.

For regular or bulk commercial loads, confirm:

• Acceptance under ReMA Talk or another written specification
• Clean versus dirty /Fe grade definitions
• Required removal of steel ends and brackets
• Permitted brass and other foreign materials
• Separate pricing for radiator ends and cutoffs
• Coil size and physical preparation requirements
• Material condition and contamination limits
• Refrigerant recovery and equipment-disposal documentation
• Minimum quantities and collection schedules
• Gaylord, pallet, container or roll-off requirements
• Loading and transportation arrangements
• Delivered versus collected prices
• Sampling, inspection and grade adjustments
• Weighing, freight deductions and payment terms

Separating clean cores, dirty /Fe radiators and radiator ends at the point of generation can help processors evaluate each material stream accurately and reduce unnecessary grade mixing.

Free pickup, higher bulk prices and dedicated radiator-end payments are subject to buyer agreement and should not be assumed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap

Material information and safety notice: Copper/Aluminum Radiator Scrap grading, metal composition, prices and buyer acceptance vary by material, preparation, location and reporting date. Refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment may contain pressurized refrigerant requiring regulated recovery before dismantling. ReMA/ISRI specifications are provided for educational reference. Final purchasing and shipment terms depend on the buyer-seller agreement.