Other · Tier C

Metal oxide varistors (MOVs)

The silver is the two fired electrode faces, not the blue coating. Crack the epoxy and you should see bright metallic discs, not grey ceramic.

Ag 6–14 g/lb

eBay typical$15–40per lb

Refiner pays$6per lb

Metal in it$17.1per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencelowof the yield figures

How to spot it

Fat radial discs, 7 to 20 mm across, coated in blue, orange or yellow epoxy with two thick leads on the same side. Marked like 14D471K or S14K275. They sit at the AC inlet of every PSU, surge strip, TV, monitor and appliance board, right beside the fuse.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Silver	6–14 g/lb	calculated from a 30–50 µm fired Ag electrode on both faces of a ZnO disc — construction-based, single source

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $17.1 per pound of contained metal — Silver 9 g = $17.1. A refiner paying $6 returns about 35% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Snip leads; burn 400–500 °C

Snip both leads at the board. Crack the epoxy with a hammer or vice, or burn it off at low temperature, then peel or leach the silver faces. Discharge the board first — MOVs sit next to bulk capacitors holding lethal charge.

Hazards

🪚 Fibreglass and board dust

NEVER dry-cut boards indoors without extraction.

💨 Fumes, ventilation and open flame

NEVER burn boards, wire insulation or plastic. Ever.

☠ Lead — dust more than fume

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

⚡ 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.

The common trap

Newer and cheaper MOVs increasingly use aluminium-sprayed or copper electrodes precisely because silver got expensive — assume nothing until you crack one open. ZnO dust and fume also cause metal fume fever, so never grind them dry.

Questions

How much gold is in metal oxide varistors (movs)?

Silver: 6–14 g/lb. At current spot that is about $17.1 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify metal oxide varistors (movs)?

The silver is the two fired electrode faces, not the blue coating. Crack the epoxy and you should see bright metallic discs, not grey ceramic.

How do you remove metal oxide varistors (movs) safely?

Snip both leads at the board. Crack the epoxy with a hammer or vice, or burn it off at low temperature, then peel or leach the silver faces. Discharge the board first — MOVs sit next to bulk capacitors holding lethal charge.

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