Calculated how much lead and copper can be extracted from a large pile of removed water meters

  • Dec 16, 2020

During the year, we managed to collect eight hundred meters with an expired verification period. How did I do it? It's simple, I worked as a plumber to replace water meters. Begged or bought them at half price, from the owners of the apartments in which the replacement was made. Link to this article here. But first read this scribble, then return to this paragraph and move on.

I decided not to stupidly hand over this number of metering devices in metal, they contain non-ferrous metal, brass (bronze). And additionally process and extract copper and lead.

- "Where are these metals in the meters?"- Some meticulous readers may ask this question.

The fact is that in our city during registration, they used to use copper wire. It resists corrosion very well, unlike corrugated galvanized sealing wire. So when dismantling metering devices, I tried to do so that the wire remained on the water meter.

Lead, registration seals were also used for sealing. There were also verification rooms, for which the dates and quarter of the flow meter verification were set.

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As I wrote earlier, a lot of devices have accumulated, each needs to be picked up, pinched off with wire cutters. Cut a lead seal out of it and put it in a bottle.

I'm notoriously worn out, the work is dreary. But curiosity and natural greed won out over laziness, the whole heap was processed.

It's time to summarize. We managed to collect very little copper, in contrast to lead. Copper 238 grams, weak. 70 rubles will be offered at metal reception.

Tare was not taken into account when weighing.
Tare was not taken into account when weighing.

But the lead pleased me. I managed to gain two kilograms seven hundred eighty-five grams. Scroll through the gallery.

I will immediately use this lead.

What do you think I am smelting lead for? I am waiting for your suggestions in the comments.

Don't forget, the link to the first article on 800 counters is at the beginning of this post.

I hope the article was interesting, like the plumbing.

From SW. Timofey Mikhailov.