Other · Tier D

Power supplies

Bottom-tier board grade. The value is transformer and inductor copper, aluminium heatsinks, the steel case, and — on larger units — a single silver-contact relay that can be worth more than the entire board's gold.

Au 0.005–0.03 g/lbCu 30–60 g per transformerAg in the relay

eBay typical$1–2per lb

Refiner pays$0.5per lb

Metal in it$3.25per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencehighof the yield figures

How to spot it

ATX and similar switching supplies.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Gold	0.005–0.03 g/lb	effectively none
Copper	30–60 g per transformer	this is the value
Silver	in the relay, if there is one

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $3.25 per pound of contained metal — Gold 0.02 g = $2.61, Copper 60 g = $0.64. A refiner paying $0.5 returns about 15% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Cold

Discharge the bulk capacitors first — the big 200–450 V cans. Use a 1–10 kΩ, 5–20 W resistor across the terminals for 30+ seconds, then confirm with a meter. Never short with a screwdriver — it welds the tip, blasts molten metal and can rupture the can.

Hazards

⚡ Stored high voltage

NEVER short a large capacitor with a screwdriver. It welds the tip, blasts molten metal at your face, and can rupture the can.

💣 Electrolytic capacitor rupture

Don't heat a capacitor directly with hot air at close range.

Before you scrap it

A working 80+ Gold 650 W is $25–70. As scrap it's $2–3.

Questions

How much gold is in power supplies?

Gold: 0.005–0.03 g/lb. Copper: 30–60 g per transformer. Silver: in the relay, if there is one. At current spot that is about $3.25 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify power supplies?

Bottom-tier board grade. The value is transformer and inductor copper, aluminium heatsinks, the steel case, and — on larger units — a single silver-contact relay that can be worth more than the entire board's gold .

How do you remove power supplies safely?

Discharge the bulk capacitors first — the big 200–450 V cans. Use a 1–10 kΩ, 5–20 W resistor across the terminals for 30+ seconds, then confirm with a meter. Never short with a screwdriver — it welds the tip, blasts molten metal and can rupture the can.

Is power supplies worth more working than as scrap?

A working 80+ Gold 650 W is $25–70. As scrap it's $2–3.

Related in Other

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