Scrap Value of Small Transformers, Microwave, Toroidal and Control Units

Which scrap grade a small transformer falls into

Yards do not price a small transformer as clean copper. A unit of core steel with windings inside is bought as a whole unit, and price trackers such as ScrapMonster list it as copper transformer scrap. The ISRI specifications define clean copper grades by metal content, number 2 copper at a nominal 96 percent copper and light copper at a nominal 92 percent, and a wound core with steel through the middle is nowhere near either. Call the yard, describe the unit, and ask which line it is bought on.

Typical weights by unit type

Scrap is paid by weight, so weight is the number that matters. These figures come from Hammond Power Solutions catalog and distributor listings. They move with enclosure, voltage and winding material, so weigh the actual unit.

Ranges are the lowest and highest figures found in the sources below. A microwave oven transformer is not in a catalog, and forum posts put one at 15 lb or more, so weigh it.

What the unit is worth

Take the weight from the table or the scale and multiply by the current transformer rate. ScrapMonster listed copper transformer scrap at about 0.58 dollars a pound in January 2026 and about 0.60 dollars a pound in August 2026. At that rate a 20 lb control transformer is about 12 dollars, and a 15 lb microwave transformer is about 9 dollars. A whole microwave oven comes out at a few dollars in the 2026 guides we found. Prices change daily and by region, so use the live price from your yard. Copper wound units pay better than aluminum ones.

Copper or aluminum windings, how to tell

Read the nameplate first. Dry type distribution transformers often state the winding material, and the catalog part number usually shows it. On a small unit with no label, scratch the end of a winding where the lacquer is worn. Copper shows a reddish color and aluminum shows silver gray. A magnet confirms the core is steel and does not separate copper from aluminum. If you cannot tell, tell the yard the unit is unknown, because a yard that finds aluminum in a unit sold as copper will pay the lower rate.

Whole unit price or cutting the windings out

Stripping a small transformer means getting the coil out of a steel core. Clean copper at 3.50 to 4.00 dollars a pound against 0.60 dollars for the whole unit looks like a big gap, but a small unit holds only a fraction of its weight in copper, and most of the weight is steel. For one or two units the whole unit price saves the labor. For a large batch, ask your yard for its clean copper price and decide whether the labor pays.

Dry type distribution transformers, 15 to 500 kVA

Dry type units from 15 kVA up have enough weight to be worth a call. A 75 kVA unit at 450 to 635 lb is worth a few hundred dollars at the transformer rate and more if the yard confirms copper windings. A unit that still works may be worth more used, so check before you scrap it. For liquid filled pad mounted units, the oil and the age change the answer completely, so use the transformer scrap value calculator and the copper content guide instead of the numbers here.

What yards refuse

Do not scrap an old oil filled unit without knowing what the fluid is. Units built before the late 1970s may contain PCBs. Ask the yard what paperwork it needs before you bring a unit.

How much is a small transformer worth as scrap

At about 0.60 dollars a pound, the ScrapMonster average for copper transformer scrap in August 2026, a 20 lb control transformer is worth about 12 dollars. The price moves daily, so confirm the rate with your yard.

How much is a microwave transformer worth

Forum posts put a microwave oven transformer at 15 lb or more. At the transformer rate that is about 9 dollars. Whole microwave ovens are listed at a few dollars each in 2026 scrap guides.

Is a toroidal transformer worth more than a normal one

Not per pound. Yards price by weight and grade, and a toroid is a wound steel core like any other small transformer. A 1000 VA toroid weighs roughly 6 to 19 lb in the listings we found.

Should I strip the copper out of a small transformer

For one or two units, usually not. Most of the weight is steel, and the whole unit price saves the labor. For a large batch, compare your yard's clean copper price before you decide.

How do I tell if a transformer has copper or aluminum windings

Check the nameplate or the catalog part number. If neither says, scratch the end of a winding. Copper looks reddish and aluminum looks silver gray.

Where do I price a large dry type or pad mounted transformer

Use the transformer scrap value calculator, which is built for the larger units, and read the copper content guide for why oil filled units price differently.