RF, power & vintage · Tier D

CRT flyback transformers & deflection yokes ☠

Scratch through the enamel on a winding — reddish means copper (worth pulling), silvery means aluminium (marginal). Copper yokes are also noticeably heavier. Zero precious metal in either.

Cu 150–400 g per yokeBase ferrite core

eBay typical$0.5–1.5per lb

Refiner pays$0.5per lb

Metal in it$2.67per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencehighof the yield figures

How to spot it

Flyback: black epoxy-potted block with a thick red HV wire ending in a suction-cup anode cap, plus a focus/screen pot block. Yoke: copper-wound coil assembly clamped around the CRT neck with a ferrite ring.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Copper	150–400 g per yoke	flybacks 50–150 g; some yokes are aluminium-wound
Base metal	ferrite core, epoxy potting

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $2.67 per pound of contained metal — Copper 250 g = $2.67. A refiner paying $0.5 returns about 19% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Cold

Discharge the CRT anode first, every time. Clip an HV probe or a jumper with a 1–10 MΩ resistor in series to the CRT's grounding dag braid, slide the other end under the lip of the anode cap until it touches the anode button, hold 30+ seconds. Repeat — CRTs recover charge from dielectric absorption. Then short anode-to-dag with plain wire and leave it shorted while you work.

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.

💥 CRT implosion, leaded glass, phosphor

NEVER pick up or carry a CRT by the neck.

☠ Lead — dust more than fume

NEVER dry sweep or use compressed air on a scrapping bench. HEPA-vac or wet-wipe only.

Before you scrap it

Working flybacks for specific arcade monitors and vintage sets sell for $30–100 to restorers.

The common trap

A 27" colour set runs about 27 kV — roughly 1 kV per diagonal inch. The tube is a capacitor and it stays charged. Sets with internal bleeder resistors should still sit 24 hours and then be discharged manually anyway.

Questions

How much gold is in crt flyback transformers & deflection yokes ☠?

Copper: 150–400 g per yoke. At current spot that is about $2.67 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify crt flyback transformers & deflection yokes ☠?

Scratch through the enamel on a winding — reddish means copper (worth pulling), silvery means aluminium (marginal). Copper yokes are also noticeably heavier. Zero precious metal in either.

How do you remove crt flyback transformers & deflection yokes ☠ safely?

Discharge the CRT anode first, every time. Clip an HV probe or a jumper with a 1–10 MΩ resistor in series to the CRT's grounding dag braid, slide the other end under the lip of the anode cap until it touches the anode button, hold 30+ seconds. Repeat — CRTs recover charge from dielectric absorption. Then short anode-to-dag with plain wire and leave it shorted while you work.

Is crt flyback transformers & deflection yokes ☠ worth more working than as scrap?

Working flybacks for specific arcade monitors and vintage sets sell for $30–100 to restorers.

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