The question of how many kilograms of non-ferrous and ferrous metal are contained in a failed refrigerator worries many owners planning to dispose of household appliances. People often underestimate the weight of a unit, relying on visual sensations when moving it, but the actual weight may differ significantly from the expected one. This is due to the fact that a significant part of the volume is occupied by plastic elements, insulation and air, and not just the steel case.
Accurate calculation of weight is important not only for logistics when exporting equipment, but also for understanding the potential cost of scrap that can be delivered to collection points. Modern and old models have different designs, which directly affects the ratio of useful metals to waste. In this article, we will analyze in detail what your refrigerator consists of and will help you determine the approximate weight of the delivered raw materials.
The total weight of the refrigerator: what the mass depends on
The first thing to consider when weighing is the dimensions of the device. Total weight a standard Soviet-made two-chamber refrigerator can reach 70–90 kilograms, while modern models of similar size often weigh 50–60 kilograms. This difference is due to the use of lighter alloys and a reduction in the thickness of the housing walls for the sake of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.
It is important to understand that not the entire mass of the unit is metal. A significant portion is made up of polyurethane foam insulation, which is located between the internal and external contours of the body. It is this material that creates the effect of “lightness” when lifting, hiding heavy metal components inside, such as a compressor and a condenser.
Additional elements also affect the final figure: glass shelves, plastic drawers, door handles and seals. If you plan to scrap your equipment, most of these components will have to be separated as they are considered trash or require separate processing. The weight of “pure” metal will be approximately 60–70% of the mass of the entire device.
Soviet refrigerators ZIL or Saratov type were famous for their margin of safety and metal thickness, so their weight will always be higher than that of Chinese or European analogues of the same volume.
⚠️ Attention: When weighing, do not forget subtract the weight of the package or cart if the estimate is made by eye or using a household scale. Accuracy is important when calculating the cost of a batch of scrap.
Ferrous metal: the basis of the body structure
The lion's share of the weight is ferrous metalrepresented mainly by sheet steel. External walls, doors and, in some models, the internal storage cabinet are made from it. The thickness of steel varies from 0.5 mm in modern budget models to 1.0–1.2 mm in old technology. It is this material that is delivered under category 3A (overall scrap) or 5A (unliquid) depending on the collection point.
The internal chamber of old refrigerators was often made of stamped steel with an enamel coating. This added rigidity and weight to the structure, but made it susceptible to corrosion if the enamel was damaged. In modern devices, the internal contour is often made of plastic (ABS plastic), which significantly reduces the total mass of ferrous metal in the product.
The doors also have a metal frame that secures the shelves and holds the insulation. When disassembled, it is the door panels and side walls that provide the bulk of the black pile. The magnetic properties of the material make it easy to separate it from aluminum and copper, which is important for sorting before delivery.
The amount of iron directly depends on the format of the refrigerator: single-chamber models contain less steel than tall two-chamber units or Side-by-Side devices. For an accurate calculation, you can take the average value: about 35–45 kg of ferrous steel in a standard two-chamber refrigerator.
Non-ferrous metals: copper, aluminum and their localization
The most valuable part of the refrigerator in terms of cost per kilogram are non-ferrous metals. Unlike black steel, there are few of them in the device, but their price on the scrap market is much higher. The main sources of non-ferrous metals are the cooling system (heat exchanger) and the electric motor-compressor.
Copper in the refrigerator is contained in the condenser and evaporator tubes. In older models, the entire circuit could be made of copper tubing, which made them extremely valuable for recycling. Modern manufacturers often replace copper with aluminum or steel in order to save money, so the amount of copper in a new refrigerator may be minimal (only in the compressor winding).
Aluminum is used to make radiator grilles on the rear wall, as well as for some compressor parts and internal elements. Aluminum tubes are lighter than copper tubes and do not have the same thermal conductivity, but they are cheaper to produce. When disassembling, it is important not to mix aluminum with other metals, as this will reduce the price of the entire batch.
- 🔸 Copper tubes: are located in the refrigerant circulation system, have a characteristic reddish tint on the cut.
- 🔸 Aluminum radiator: ribbed grille on the back of the case, lightweight and non-magnetic.
- 🔸 Motor winding: inside the compressor there is copper wire coated with varnish.
- 🔸 Brass bushings: can be found at pipe joints or in door hinges.
Removing non-ferrous metals requires complete disassembly of the heat exchanger, which is a labor-intensive process. Often, collection points accept entire refrigerators for the price of black scrap, if you are not ready to dismantle them yourself.