Recycling thermocouple wire offers a way to cash in on what might otherwise seem like scrap. Thermocouples are used in monitoring and controlling temperatures. They’re commonly found in factories as well as in appliances. Basically, when it’s too hot to put a thermometer somewhere, you place a sensor connected by thermocouple wire to a remotely located temperature-reading or temperature-regulating device.
Where Is Thermocouple Wire Found?
Thermocouple wire made with heat-resistant precious metals is often found in industrial and scientific settings. It’s commonly used to measure temperature in diesel engines, gas turbine exhaust, automated welding equipment, kilns, and a variety of other industrial machines and processes. These include most production line or testing machines that heat or cool materials, that monitor temperature with a remote gauge, and that monitor radiation levels.
Also, thermocouple wire made with base metals is found in thermostats, attached to flame sensors in safety mechanisms for gas-powered devices, in power cutoff switches, and in a variety of residential and commercial appliances. These include water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners (central and window units), fire safety and alert systems, ovens, electric space heaters, coffee makers, and others.
When Is Thermocouple Wire Valuable?
Thermocouple wire is made of at least two metals. Depending on how the wire was used, it could contain platinum, rhodium, palladium, or gold. And that’s why you can get paid for recycling thermocouple wire.
Rare metals are used in thermocouple wires when higher temperatures are involved. So, the wiring used for something like a coffee maker, stove, or air conditioning unit is made using less valuable base metals. However, thermocouple wire for industrial purposes is likely to contain valuable metals like platinum.
Base metal thermocouple wires are typically made with metals like nickel, copper, and aluminum. These can be used when measuring temperatures up to about 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. Rare metal thermocouple wires are used to measure temperatures up to about 3600 degrees F, and they almost always contain some platinum.
Interested in Recycling Thermocouple Wire?
If you’re interested in recycling thermocouple wire that was used in an industrial setting, contact us today. We can help you determine what type of thermocouple wire you have and its value. We offer fast, fair payouts for thermocouple wire containing platinum, gold, palladium, or rhodium.
