# Cisco Catalyst 5500 Switch



## cosmetal (Nov 7, 2017)

To all,

Recently I had the good fortune to pick-up (for free ) this 1997 Cisco Catalyst 5500 Switch.

Can you ewaste gurus give me an approximate idea of the PM value if I choose to refine these boards? There are:

*2 - Supervisor Engine II Modules
1 - FDDI Module
9 - Fast Ethernet Switching Modules w/12 ports ea.
1 - Backpane Module*

Total weight without backplates or heatsinks - *16.55 kgs.*

I have individual module pictures, front and rear, along with individual weights if anyone wishes to view them.

Many thanks!  

James


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## glorycloud (Nov 7, 2017)

Run the blades and the power supplies (even the fan tray) through eBay to see
what they might sell for. There is normally a marketing description written
on the front binder of the blades and also on the other parts.


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## kernels (Nov 7, 2017)

Worth a few dollars in Gold, but nothing spectacular in those pictures.


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## silversaddle1 (Nov 7, 2017)

You are better off just selling them for scrap value. I would sweat off the ceramic CPU then sell them as high grade telecom scrap, at over 5 dollars a pound right now. The backplane will also bring over 5 dollars a pound as-is. As far as resale value, 97 is pretty old for Cisco anything.


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## cosmetal (Nov 8, 2017)

Thanks for the advice everyone


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## everydayisalesson (Nov 8, 2017)

Kind of like asking how many bolts are in this car. Not trying to be mean. Really nice find either way, I got a couple 5600s over the summer. I didn't get no where near the amount of modules you did though. Keep the ceramic and sell the rest, a lot of aluminum in the case if I remember. Take care.


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## anachronism (Nov 10, 2017)

kernels said:


> Worth a few dollars in Gold, but nothing spectacular in those pictures.



That was actually a joke old friend wasnt it? 8)

Edit - silversaddle has it right on his values if you are looking to sell them. You will struggle to achieve anywhere near the full refined value at home so selling is the best bet. 

For the record the majority values of metals are Gold, Silver, Palladium and Copper.


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## cosmetal (Nov 10, 2017)

Appreciate the input all.  

But these boards are going to be included in my "guinea pig" pile - sacrifices must be made for my ongoing education! :twisted:

James


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## silversaddle1 (Nov 10, 2017)

cosmetal said:


> Appreciate the input all.
> 
> But these boards are going to be included in my "guinea pig" pile - sacrifices must be made for my ongoing education! :twisted:
> 
> James



Now why would you do that? After more than one person has given you sound advice. If you want to make money in refining, then you best learn right off that sometime, in fact, a lot of times it's better to just sell the stuff as is and take that money and roll it into easy stuff to refine such as karat scrap, clean gold pins, fingers, etc. But, whatever. :roll:


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## cosmetal (Nov 10, 2017)

silversaddle1 said:


> cosmetal said:
> 
> 
> > Appreciate the input all.
> ...



Yes, you and others have given sound advice. Thank you for your opinions. I know what you are saying.

But, having been raised by a man who had to work underground as a copper miner while going through high school, saw combat in the Pacific during WWII, then received a field commission to captain in the Korean War, the easy way was never an option. I'm not whining, but, we were taught that to learn a craft or trade, you had to start by learning everything through the hard way. Then when that was mastered, the easy stuff seemed to become even easier.  

Besides. I started as a ewaste recycler and this "hard stuff" keeps finding me. My dad said "never look a gift horse in the mouth". :!:  :!:

James


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## anachronism (Nov 10, 2017)

Silversaddle is right. Yeah I'd get it if you wanted to try some components from one of them to learn techniques etc however that will get old fast. If you're wanting to make money at it then you've got to learn when to refine and when to sell. Doing it the hard way isn't always the cleverest way, and frankly I try to avoid the hard way and use the smart way as much as possible. If someone's been there before me and shares sound advice it's usually a good thing. 

Both Silversaddle and myself have seen a fair amount of this stuff- but in his worlds "whatever." 8) 8) 

Jon


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## cosmetal (Nov 10, 2017)

Guys, 

You are absolutely right, both of you. And I respect your knowledge and hope to learn much from each of you.  

I am sure that, eventually, I will share your position. But, as of today, I live in the Northern California region of the "left coast" of the USA. I started this journey in ewaste recycling. I soon found out, after one shipment to Boardsort, that my geographical location was going to be a disadvantage for me. The freight is prohibitive, even shipping by USPS flat rate boxes . I searched for closer buyers of electronic components. The ones I found here on the left coast were paying nothing because they were shipping to Boardsort, Cashforcomputerscrap, etc. all of whom are on the "right coast" of the USA (or close to it). :shock:

So, like I said, this ewaste seems to find me and I'm not passing up found money. I just kept collecting, sorting and dismantling. Now I have to find a solution for everything I am amassing. Unless you gentlemen, or anyone else on GRF, knows of a buyer who will pay a decent price for components located in California, I see depopulation and refining as my elegant and exciting solution. At least for the goodies I have amassed. Once they're done, I'll be scratching in the estate and garage sale grounds for different goodies. 

I will not do eBay. Been there, done that. Too many fingers in the pie and indirect costs.

Peace from the left coast  

James


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## snoman701 (Nov 10, 2017)

Trust me, there are buyers out there. There are buyers everywhere. They just don't show up on web searches like boardsort and cashforcomputer


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## nickvc (Nov 11, 2017)

I’m far from an expert on e scrap but if silversaddle and anachronism say to sell I’d do exactly that.
If as you say this stuff keeps finding you then sort, store and ship in volume which should keep the price down. I suspect if you had enough material then the buyers might arrange to pick it up at their cost but you will have to ask about that, someone somehwere will want your material that isn’t worth your time or effort to process you just have to find them, cherry pick what you receive to refine in house and sell the rest.


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