what's valuable in a microwave oven?

Microwave ovens are commonly thrown out for verge pickups. The last two in my town, I have noticed that somebody has gone around and opened up every one of them, often with a crowbar. So I am curious what component is worth the effort to go scavenging thus?

Reply to
Nomen Nescio
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The transformer has lots of copper. maybe worth $20 as scrap. worth more if someone has another use for it (eg making a Tesla coil)

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

Magnets.

Reply to
Barry

??? do you mean magnetrons?

Reply to
F Murtz

Yeah the magnets that surround the magnetron's cavity. Very powerful.

Reply to
Ray

Microwave ovens have powerful magnets around the magnetron.

Reply to
Barry

Forgot about them.

Reply to
F Murtz

Local scrap guys in WA are not interested in transformers big or small; "too hard to separate the copper & iron". They go in with the assorted scrap steel.

Reply to
kelly

moderately powerful. like the magnet from a large loudspeaker, pretty wimpy when compared to the neodymium magnets found in hard drives,

Magnet technology has come a long way since AlNiCo.

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Reply to
Jasen Betts

Are they better than hard disk magnets?

Reply to
terryc

terryc Inscribed thus:

As Jason said "pretty wimpy when compared to the neodymium magnets found in hard drives" !

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Best Regards:
Reply to
Baron

.:.

Reply to
Swanny

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