Cu Yokes Scrap consists of copper-bearing deflection assemblies recovered from older cathode-ray tube (CRT) televisions and computer monitors. Also known as Copper Yokes, TV Yokes or CRT Deflection Yokes, these components contain insulated copper windings supported by ferrite magnetic material, plastic structures and other attachments.
The copper windings are the principal source of scrap value. However, a complete yoke is a mixed-material electronic component, not clean copper wire. Its price depends on recoverable copper, attached materials, preparation and the receiving buyer's requirements. When a yoke is still attached to an intact CRT, professional electronics recycling is essential because of high-voltage and leaded-glass hazards.
Cu Yokes Scrap: Quick Facts
- Material category: Copper-bearing electronic equipment scrap
- Common names: Cu Yokes, Copper Yokes, TV Yokes and CRT Deflection Yokes
- Original function: Magnetic control of electron-beam movement in CRT displays
- Main recoverable metal: Copper winding wire
- Other components: Ferrite, plastic supports, insulation, clamps and connectors
- Typical sources: CRT televisions, computer monitors and legacy displays
- Commercial grades: Complete, Clean and Dirty Copper Yokes, subject to buyer definitions
- Winding condition: Usually enamel-coated copper magnet wire
- Key pricing factors: Copper recovery, ferrite, plastic, attachments and preparation
- Main equipment hazards: CRT stored electrical energy, vacuum-tube implosion and leaded glass
- Potential buyers: Specialized electronics recyclers and nonferrous scrap processors
What Is a Cu Yoke?
A copper yoke is an electromagnetic assembly used in a cathode-ray tube display.
Its technical name is a deflection yoke. It fits around the neck and rear funnel area of the CRT and creates magnetic fields that control the direction of the electron beam.
Inside a working CRT television or monitor, an electron gun directs one or more beams toward a phosphor-coated screen. The yoke changes the beam's direction so that the image can be drawn across the display.
Unlike an electric motor, a yoke does not contain a rotating shaft. Its purpose is to control an electron beam rather than produce mechanical motion.
How Does a CRT Deflection Yoke Work?
A typical electromagnetic deflection system contains horizontal and vertical coils.
Horizontal Deflection Coils
These produce the magnetic field needed to move the electron beam across the screen horizontally.
Vertical Deflection Coils
These provide the magnetic field responsible for moving the beam vertically.
Ferrite Magnetic Core
The ferrite core helps shape and concentrate the magnetic field produced by the coils.
Insulating Supports
Plastic supports hold the coils in their designed positions and provide electrical separation between the assemblies.
Some yokes also contain small magnets, correction coils and other components used to improve image geometry or beam alignment.
The exact design varies with the CRT manufacturer, screen dimensions and display system.
What Materials Are Inside Copper Yokes?
A complete Cu Yoke contains both recoverable and nonmetallic materials.
Copper Magnet Wire
Tightly wound copper coils carry the electrical current used to generate the magnetic deflection fields.
This is generally the most valuable recoverable metal fraction.
Ferrite
Ferrite is a magnetic ceramic material used to guide and concentrate the magnetic field.
It should not be confused with ordinary steel scrap or treated as recoverable copper.
Plastic Components
Plastic holders, coil separators and housings support the winding assembly and help maintain electrical insulation.
Steel and Other Attachments
Depending on the design, the assembly may contain metal clamps, brackets, fasteners, connectors and small correction components.
Scrap grading: The weight of ferrite, plastic and other materials is included in the complete yoke's weight but does not represent recoverable copper.
Where Are Copper Yokes Found?
Copper deflection yokes are primarily associated with older cathode-ray tube display technology.
Common sources include:
- CRT televisions
- CRT computer monitors
- Older arcade game monitors
- Legacy industrial video displays
- Selected CRT-based broadcast and video equipment
- Specialized displays using magnetic electron-beam deflection
Modern LCD, LED-backlit LCD and OLED televisions do not use conventional CRT deflection yokes because they do not generate pictures by steering an electron beam across a phosphor screen.
As a result, Cu Yokes are mainly recovered when older electronics are retired or processed, rather than from current mainstream television manufacturing.
What Is the Difference Between a CRT Yoke and a Degaussing Coil?
Both components can contain copper wire and may be recovered from older CRT displays, but they perform different functions.
CRT Deflection Yoke
The yoke is mounted near the neck of the picture tube and uses electromagnetic coils to steer the electron beam.
CRT Degaussing Coil
A degaussing coil is commonly positioned around the perimeter of a color CRT. It produces a changing magnetic field used to reduce unwanted magnetization in the display assembly.
The shape, copper content, insulation and scrap classification of the two components can differ.
Sorting recommendation: Keep deflection yokes separate from loose degaussing coils where the receiving recycler uses dedicated categories.
Cu Yokes vs. Flyback Transformers
A CRT deflection yoke should not be confused with a flyback transformer.
Cu Yokes use copper-bearing coils to control the position of electron beams.
Flyback Transformers are part of the display's high-voltage generation circuitry and have different electrical and material construction.
Although both components are associated with CRT systems, they may contain different amounts of copper, ferrite, insulating compounds and other materials.
Do not combine them into one scrap category unless the buyer approves.
Are All Copper Yokes the Same?
No. Deflection-yoke size and construction vary between CRT models.
Differences can include:
- Screen size and display geometry
- Horizontal and vertical coil design
- Number of winding turns
- Copper wire diameter
- Ferrite core dimensions
- Plastic housing construction
- Additional magnetic correction components
- Mounting hardware
These differences affect the complete assembly's weight and the proportion of copper that can be recovered.
A larger yoke may contain more total copper than a smaller one, but physical size alone does not establish its copper-recovery percentage.
How Much Copper Is in a CRT Yoke?
There is no universally reliable copper-recovery percentage that applies to every Cu Yoke.
The recoverable copper depends on the winding design, wire thickness, ferrite core, plastic support structure and any remaining attachments.
For commercial quantities, recyclers may use representative samples or known recovery data from similar assemblies to estimate copper content.
Important: Do not price a complete Cu Yoke as if its entire weight were copper. The assembly's nonmetallic components and other attachments must be included in the recovery calculation.
Is Copper Yoke Wire Bare Bright Copper?
No. The copper wire used in CRT deflection coils is normally enamel-coated magnet wire.
The enamel serves as electrical insulation and allows closely spaced turns of wire to operate without shorting together.
That coating remains on the wire after it has been removed from the yoke.
ReMA's Barley specification for No. 1 Copper Wire requires bare, uncoated and unalloyed copper.
Therefore, separated yoke windings do not automatically meet the Bare Bright specification.
For comparison, see No. 1 Copper Bare Bright Scrap Prices.
Are Separated Cu Yoke Windings #2 Copper?
Not automatically.
Some scrap yards purchase recovered magnet wire under coated-copper, winding-wire or another lower copper category.
However, #2 Copper is not a universal designation for all enamel-coated yoke wire.
The final classification depends on the actual copper composition, remaining coatings, contamination and the receiving buyer's purchasing specification.
Commercial guidance: Confirm the exact winding-wire grade before dismantling bulk quantities of yokes or combining recovered material with other copper scrap.
Clean vs. Dirty Copper Yokes Scrap
RecyclingMonster's material directory identifies Copper Yokes, Copper Yokes (Clean) and Copper Yokes (Dirty) as separate commercial descriptions.
These names indicate that material preparation can affect the amount of recoverable copper in a shipment.
There is no confirmed universal clean-versus-dirty composition threshold for every Cu Yokes transaction.
One buyer may accept a complete ferrite-and-copper assembly as clean, while another may require additional preparation.
Ask for the receiving facility's written grade description when trading commercial quantities.
Are Cu Yokes an Official ReMA Copper Grade?
ReMA maintains standardized trade specifications for several copper wire and copper solids categories.
However, a dedicated ReMA specification named Cu Yokes has not been confirmed.
Cu Yokes should therefore be treated as a commercial copper-bearing electronic component category unless the buyer identifies an applicable formal specification.
ReMA copper-wire grades such as Barley or Birch should not automatically be applied to complete yokes or enamel-coated windings.
The purchasing agreement should identify the accepted material, preparation and contamination requirements.
Should You Remove the Copper Windings From a Yoke?
For yokes already removed through safe professional CRT processing, separating the copper windings from ferrite and plastic may produce a more concentrated copper scrap stream.
However, preparation takes time and does not guarantee a greater net return.
Before processing a commercial load, compare:
- The price paid for complete Cu Yokes
- The price paid for clean Cu Yokes
- The expected weight of separated copper windings
- The buyer's accepted coated-wire grade
- The time and equipment required for separation
- The handling of ferrite, plastic and residual material
- Transportation and processing costs
Important: This comparison applies to yokes that have already been safely separated from CRT equipment. It is not a recommendation for consumers to dismantle CRT televisions or monitors.
How to Compare Whole-Yoke and Separated-Copper Value
Professional recyclers can use actual recovered weights and buyer quotations to evaluate processing economics.
Option A: Sell Complete Cu Yokes
Gross revenue = Accepted complete-yoke weight × Cu Yokes buying price per pound.
Option B: Recover the Copper Separately
Gross recovery revenue = Accepted winding-copper weight × Winding-wire buying price, plus any accepted value from other recovered materials.
Net recovery return = Gross recovery revenue minus labor, preparation, handling, transport and residual-material management costs.
Decision: Compare the net financial return from both options. A higher price per pound for recovered copper does not necessarily mean that dismantling is more profitable.
Can Cu Yokes Be Removed From a CRT Television at Home?
Removing a yoke from an intact CRT television or computer monitor is not recommended for consumers or untrained scrap sellers.
CRT equipment can retain hazardous electrical energy even when disconnected from mains power.
The glass picture tube is evacuated and can implode if it is struck, broken or improperly handled.
CRT equipment can also contain leaded glass and other materials requiring appropriate downstream management.
The safer option for households is to deliver the complete television or monitor to a qualified electronics recycler or an accepted municipal electronics program.
Why Can CRT Equipment Remain Dangerous After Unplugging?
CRT televisions and monitors operate using high-voltage circuits.
Electrical energy may remain stored in the CRT and associated capacitors after the equipment is switched off or unplugged.
Accidental contact during unauthorized dismantling can result in severe electrical injury.
The evacuated glass tube also creates a physical hazard because breakage can cause an implosion and projection of glass fragments.
Critical safety guidance: Do not open an intact CRT display simply to obtain its copper yoke. CRT dismantling should be handled by appropriately trained and equipped professionals.
Why Does CRT Glass Require Special Recycling?
Older CRT displays contain different types of glass, including funnel glass that commonly incorporates lead.
Under U.S. federal waste regulations, disposed CRTs may be regulated because of their lead content. Specific conditional exclusions and management requirements apply to qualifying CRT recycling operations.
The applicable rules address aspects such as storage, labeling, handling, processing and downstream disposition.
State rules may be more restrictive, and Canadian operations must follow their applicable provincial and federal requirements.
Important distinction: A properly separated, uncontaminated copper yoke is different from a complete CRT containing leaded glass. The glass hazard belongs to the surrounding CRT equipment, but it must be managed correctly during component recovery.
How Are Copper Yokes Recycled?
Qualified electronics recyclers can recover copper-bearing yokes from CRT equipment and direct the remaining CRT materials through appropriate downstream channels.
A professional recycling operation may include:
- Receiving and inspection: CRT equipment is identified and assessed for reuse or recycling.
- Safety-controlled handling: Electrical, glass and mechanical hazards are addressed by trained personnel.
- Component recovery: Suitable electronic and metal-bearing components are separated through approved processes.
- Yoke grading: Recovered yokes are inspected for copper content and remaining attachments.
- Material preparation: Qualified processors may separate windings, ferrite, plastic and metal hardware where practical.
- Metal classification: Recovered copper is graded according to its actual coating and condition.
- CRT glass management: Glass and other regulated materials are directed to appropriate facilities.
- Secondary-metal recovery: Accepted copper-bearing fractions enter suitable recycling processes.
- Manufacturing: Recovered copper may become feedstock for new copper products.
Not every electronics recycler performs the complete recovery process on-site. Collection facilities may transfer material to specialized downstream processors.
Cu Yokes Scrap Prices
Cu Yokes Scrap prices depend on the actual copper content, ferrite and plastic weight, preparation, contamination, quantity and purchasing location.
What Determines Copper Yoke Buying Prices?
- Copper content: Weight of recoverable copper windings
- Ferrite content: Magnetic core material included in the assembly
- Plastic components: Supports, housings and separators
- Other attachments: Steel clips, wiring harnesses and unrelated components
- Grade: Complete, clean, dirty or separated winding material
- Preparation: Work required before metal recovery
- Quantity: Shipment weight and consistency
- Market conditions: Copper values and downstream recycling demand
- Location: Availability of specialized processors and freight costs
- Commercial terms: Grading, deductions and settlement requirements
Available Cu Yokes Scrap Prices
Review RecyclingMonster's available material-specific price observations below.
Always check the original price date, material name, location, currency and unit before relying on a reported figure.
price
Cu Yokes may also appear in RecyclingMonster's Copper Scrap Prices database.
General Copper Scrap prices and Bare Bright Copper prices should not be substituted for the buying price of a complete deflection-yoke assembly.
Are Cu Yokes Still Common Scrap Materials?
Cu Yokes remain part of the electronics-recycling stream, but they are primarily associated with older display technology.
CRT televisions and monitors have largely been replaced by flat-panel products.
As a result, yokes are most likely to be recovered from:
- Older electronics stored in homes or businesses
- Institutional electronics cleanouts
- Legacy industrial display equipment
- Specialist CRT recycling operations
- Older arcade and entertainment equipment
- Electronics refurbishment and equipment disposal
The declining presence of CRT equipment in mainstream consumer use does not eliminate the need to recycle the remaining stock responsibly.
How to Prepare Cu Yokes Scrap for Sale
Preparation should begin only after the yokes have been safely removed from CRT equipment by qualified personnel.
- Separate complete CRT equipment: Do not mix televisions or monitors with loose yoke scrap.
- Identify yoke assemblies: Confirm that the material contains deflection coils rather than unrelated components.
- Sort by buyer grade: Keep clean, dirty and complete yokes separate when required.
- Remove unrelated debris: Follow the buyer's requirements for excessive steel, plastic and wiring attachments.
- Keep coated copper separate: Do not combine enamel-coated winding wire with Bare Bright copper.
- Avoid burning: Never burn winding insulation to recover copper.
- Confirm preparation economics: Compare whole-yoke and separated-wire values before additional processing.
- Document material: Record weight, preparation and source for commercial loads.
- Verify buyer acceptance: Confirm the purchasing category and any contamination restrictions.
- Preserve downstream documentation: Maintain suitable CRT recycling and transfer records where required.
Where Can You Sell Cu Yokes Scrap?
Some nonferrous scrap yards, electronics recyclers and specialized copper processors purchase Cu Yokes or separated copper-bearing assemblies.
Not every local scrap yard maintains a dedicated yoke buying category.
yards
RecyclingMonster's Recycle an Item database includes Copper Yokes, Copper Yokes (Clean) and Copper Yokes (Dirty) as searchable material names.
For complete CRT televisions and monitors, use the Electronics Recycling Centers Directory.
The Metal Recycling Centers Directory provides additional potential buyers for separated copper-bearing scrap.
Buyer verification: A recycling-center listing does not guarantee current acceptance of Cu Yokes or complete CRT equipment. Contact the facility to confirm material acceptance, preparation requirements, quantities and any recycling fees.
Selling Bulk Quantities of Cu Yokes
Electronics recyclers, CRT processors, institutional cleanout contractors and businesses handling legacy electronic equipment may accumulate Cu Yokes in commercial quantities.
Before arranging a shipment, confirm:
- Accepted Cu Yokes purchasing grades
- Complete versus clean or dirty yoke classification
- Permitted ferrite and plastic content
- Restrictions on steel and other attachments
- Whether separated magnet wire is purchased
- Accepted winding-wire grades
- Minimum shipment quantities
- Gaylord, pallet and container arrangements
- Pickup and transportation requirements
- Separation of intact CRT equipment from loose components
- Applicable CRT recycling documentation
- Inspection and material-grade adjustments
- Delivered versus collected pricing
- Processing or handling charges
- Payment and settlement terms
Keeping properly separated yoke assemblies apart from intact CRTs, mixed circuit boards and other electronic scrap makes each material easier to evaluate and direct to the appropriate processing facility.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cu Yokes Scrap
What is Cu Yokes Scrap?
Cu Yokes are copper-bearing electromagnetic deflection assemblies recovered from older CRT televisions and computer monitors. They contain copper windings, ferrite, plastic and other components.
How much copper is inside a CRT yoke?
The copper content depends on the coil design, wire thickness, ferrite core and other components. There is no universal recovery percentage for every yoke.
Is copper from a TV yoke Bare Bright?
Not automatically. Deflection-yoke windings are usually enamel-coated and do not meet the basic uncoated requirement for Bare Bright copper as received.
Is it safe to remove a yoke from an old television?
CRT equipment can retain dangerous electrical energy, contains an evacuated glass tube and may contain leaded glass. Removal should be handled by appropriately trained professionals.
Where can Cu Yokes Scrap be recycled?
Some nonferrous scrap processors and electronics recyclers accept separated yokes. Complete CRT televisions and monitors should be directed to a qualified electronics recycling program.
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Material information and safety notice: Cu Yokes Scrap pricing, metal recovery and buyer acceptance vary by assembly construction, preparation, location and reporting date. CRT televisions and monitors can retain hazardous electrical energy and contain evacuated, lead-bearing glass components requiring specialized management. Consumers and untrained individuals should not dismantle CRT equipment for scrap recovery. Final buying grades and disposal requirements depend on the recycler and applicable jurisdiction.