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?
what's valuable in a microwave oven?
Jul 04, 2010
11 Replies
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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Magnets.
??? do you mean magnetrons?
Yeah the magnets that surround the magnetron's cavity. Very powerful.
Microwave ovens have powerful magnets around the magnetron.
Forgot about them.
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.
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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Are they better than hard disk magnets?
terryc Inscribed thus:
As Jason said "pretty wimpy when compared to the neodymium magnets found in hard drives" !
Best Regards:
.:.
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