If you have done any metal recycling for extra cash at all, you already know that copper can be one of the most valuable metals to haul to the recycling center. Lightweight and highly valuable, copper is easily recycled and is used in an array of different applications, so it is valuable to most copper buyers. If you have collected a pile of copper wiring to take off and exchange for some extra cash, it is best to make sure you know how to get the most for your efforts. Here is a look at a few things you can do to ensure you get the most money from your visit to copper wire buyers. 

Make sure the copper is stripped down from its metal encasement. 

The majority of copper wiring is found inside things like power cords and electrical wiring. Therefore, it is surrounded by plastic or rubber encasement. If you show up at the buyer with all of your wiring still in its encasement, they will not be able to see the quality or the gauge of the copper, which means they will usually pay less. Before you haul your copper to the facility, take some time to strip it down to its bare state. 

Separate the copper wiring from other types of wiring you may have. 

It is not uncommon for some wire encasements to house multiple types of metal to carry current in specific ways or patterns. Therefore, if you look inside of an electronic cord or other item and you see both copper and other metals, it is best to take the wiring apart and separate it. If the metals are mixed when they are weighed at the recycling center, you will be paid a set price for general metal instead of the prized payment for your copper that will fetch you more money. 

Make sure your copper is clean. 

This sounds like a lot of effort, but clean copper will almost always fetch more money than dirty copper. For one, if your copper is caked with dirt, mud, or soot from burning off the plastic encasements, it will have to be cleaned before it can be recycled, which takes time and money. Likewise, the buyer may not give you full price for copper wiring if they cannot fully tell that what you have is indeed copper metal material. Cleaning it is simple, and worth taking the time to do.