Tweet
Got my hands on this Bosch Hydropower Hot water unit after it gave up the ghost. I've only ever scrapped out cylinder hot water systems before, so this style is new to me.
As many are aware of the difference between copper and steel cylinders, I was eager to see if these systems were the same. Open the front cover and the unit speaks for itself.
The copper centre is like a radiator or oven and heats the copper coil that surrounds. Gas jets burn through it from down the bottom, and the top half is mostly just like a exhaust hood. Looked simple with plenty of aluminium components, brass fittings and copper piping.
Much like my gas heater I did this year, chasing all the brass fittings is time consuming, but I can't help myself. Lots of screws, and brass that had to be cut away from aluminium, the unit was simple but fiddly. The copper centre was the easiest part to get out. Parts like this were also easy, a row of brass jets on a heavy aluminum rail.
I got every last bit separated and sorted, and it took me forty minutes. In the end, despite so many chunky, heavy brass fittings, there was more weight in aluminium then brass within the unit.
The breakdown is as follows:
Aluminium: 1.1kg @ $1.05/kg = $1.15
Brass: 0.86kg @ $3.20/kg = $2.75
Burnt Copper: 3.8kg @ $5.80/kg = $22.04
L/G Steel: 13.2kg @ 13c/kg = $1.71 (I understand that steel prices have dropped ATM, but I always base my prices on what I'd previously been given just as a guide).
Total price: $27.65 @ 40minutes = $41.47/hr
It doesn't get much better then that, if only you could scrap them every day. It's obvious that the copper centre is the big money earner, and would really push the hourly rate up if you just ripped that out and scrapped the rest as light gauge. But I'm a recycler and hate too see pretty brass go to waste. At $41/hr, if you spend the first ten minutes earning the $30 part, and then the last 50 earning the next $11 does it really matter? As long as you're earning the $41, who cares?
As many are aware of the difference between copper and steel cylinders, I was eager to see if these systems were the same. Open the front cover and the unit speaks for itself.
The copper centre is like a radiator or oven and heats the copper coil that surrounds. Gas jets burn through it from down the bottom, and the top half is mostly just like a exhaust hood. Looked simple with plenty of aluminium components, brass fittings and copper piping.
Much like my gas heater I did this year, chasing all the brass fittings is time consuming, but I can't help myself. Lots of screws, and brass that had to be cut away from aluminium, the unit was simple but fiddly. The copper centre was the easiest part to get out. Parts like this were also easy, a row of brass jets on a heavy aluminum rail.
I got every last bit separated and sorted, and it took me forty minutes. In the end, despite so many chunky, heavy brass fittings, there was more weight in aluminium then brass within the unit.
The breakdown is as follows:
Aluminium: 1.1kg @ $1.05/kg = $1.15
Brass: 0.86kg @ $3.20/kg = $2.75
Burnt Copper: 3.8kg @ $5.80/kg = $22.04
L/G Steel: 13.2kg @ 13c/kg = $1.71 (I understand that steel prices have dropped ATM, but I always base my prices on what I'd previously been given just as a guide).
Total price: $27.65 @ 40minutes = $41.47/hr
It doesn't get much better then that, if only you could scrap them every day. It's obvious that the copper centre is the big money earner, and would really push the hourly rate up if you just ripped that out and scrapped the rest as light gauge. But I'm a recycler and hate too see pretty brass go to waste. At $41/hr, if you spend the first ten minutes earning the $30 part, and then the last 50 earning the next $11 does it really matter? As long as you're earning the $41, who cares?
Comment