Page 1 of 1

Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:31 am
by mj74
It has a silver coating to it,but if I scratch it,it seems to have a copper color. Is there a technical term or name for this type of wire? Is it copper?

Image

Re: Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 5:07 am
by INTRINSICK
Yes that is copper.when in doubt scratch it. There is also copper plated aluminum wire out there 'mostly in tv's' Every wire in a power supply is copper. Dont forget the little silver colored wires on top of the circuit board,they are copper too

Re: Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:27 am
by Hades12
The silver is solder where they were tinned to solder into the board. put it all in a 50 gallon barell and al wire will no longer matter.

Re: Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 12:59 pm
by mj74
INTRINSICK wrote:Yes that is copper.when in doubt scratch it. There is also copper plated aluminum wire out there 'mostly in tv's' Every wire in a power supply is copper. Dont forget the little silver colored wires on top of the circuit board,they are copper too


I have come across a few power supplies,where the wire magnetized,which I thought was odd. I just put that wire in my insulated pile,since it magnetized,I knew it wasn't going to pass for copper.

Re: Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:08 pm
by Hades12
very low end stuff has CCS in it now. Copper clad Steel. we see it in audio kits from time to time. will not install it, goes right in the trash barrel.

Re: Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 8:46 pm
by messymessy
mj74 wrote:I have come across a few power supplies,where the wire magnetized,which I thought was odd. I just put that wire in my insulated pile,since it magnetized,I knew it wasn't going to pass for copper.


You shouldn't even put it in your insulated pile. The prices for insulated wire are typically based on amount of recoverable copper in the insulated wire.

Re: Computer power supply wire,is it copper?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 9:55 pm
by mj74
lol I meant to post that I put it in my trash pile. I have only come across 2 power supplies with that kind of wire in the 4 years that I have been scrapping. I have always figured the power supply wire as copper,so when I got some that magnetized I was a little surprised.