Ballasts from light fixtures

[messymessy]

Has anyone ever sold the ballasts out of light fixtures for scrap? How much did you get per pound and what type of fixture were they from?

[natsb88]

I kept them separate once and asked about them at the yard, they said they just go in with mixed steel.

[Dr. Cadmium]

Many yards will not deal with them because they are a low volume item, they have a low copper return, and very old ones pose an environmental hazard.

Companies that buy them will classify them as "scrap ballasts" or sometimes "sealed units", the later being the same category as compressors. Currently I can get around $0.20/lb.

They're found in flourescent bulb fixtures. The larger and more industrial the fixtures, the larger and heavier the ballasts need to be.

Ballasts made in the United States before the very late 1970s (1980 as a cutoff date to be safe) usually contain PCBs, and must be recycled properly.

[messymessy]

Thanks guys.

[CrazyTom]

My yard does take them at something less than motors.

[messymessy]

I've been looking for over a year and have finally found a scrap yard (sorta) close that will take ballasts. The yard pays something close to electric motor price for ballasts.

[AGgressive Metal]

Good info. I wondered this myself and usually just threw it in with the dirty steel since I'm a small time scrapper and usually only had one or two ballasts at a time.

[cwgii]

ah yes , part of my troubles also....... never really have enough of anything to realize a gain by sorting it out.

though the scrap yard guys did educate me a little last week. shred steel ie anything small or ''contaminated'' by other metals or plastic is 155 a ton

while 'prepared'' is 180. ie the file cabnits if I took the time to remove the al handles. some of the steel shelves from the fridge.

[hobo finds]

ah yes , part of my troubles also....... never really have enough of anything to realize a gain by sorting it out.

though the scrap yard guys did educate me a little last week. shred steel ie anything small or ''contaminated'' by other metals or plastic is 155 a ton

while 'prepared'' is 180. ie the file cabnits if I took the time to remove the al handles. some of the steel shelves from the fridge.

Never knew that that smallish yard here separated types of steel! Guess I need to Keep them Separated!

[messymessy]

Just got $.21 a pound for scrap ballasts. I've been saving them for a while and got about $160.

[aussamdad]

Hey messymessy thanks for starting this thread...I have been throwing the ballast in with the mix steel...I just called my other scrapyard, they do not take steel, and they are paying $0.15 lb. Now to load up the rest of the ballasts, my 316 @$0.75 lb and 304 @ $0.50 lb Stainless steel, and lead acid batteries...for a little payday.

[daviscfad]

I have sold ballast separate but not sure the price per pound. Maybe .20 or .25 cent. More than steel price