Seller guides
How to read, compare and sell surplus cable
Seventeen short guides: how to read a reel tag, how to estimate footage, what separates one construction from another, and how surplus accumulates in the first place.
What the letters on the jacket mean
Comparing cable types
Copper vs aluminum
How copper and aluminum building wire differ, why both are purchased, how to tell them apart, and what to state on a quote request.
Read the guide →THHN vs XHHW
THHN and XHHW-2 compared: insulation, temperature and wet ratings, where each is used, and how to identify which one is on your reel.
Read the guide →MC vs AC cable
MC and AC armored cable compared: armor, bonding, conductor options and where each is used.
Read the guide →TC vs PLTC cable
TC and PLTC tray cable compared: 600 V versus 300 V, circuit classes, tray ratings and how to identify which cable is on the reel.
Read the guide →SER vs SEU vs URD
SER, SEU, URD and USE-2 compared: where each is installed, how they are constructed, and how to identify surplus service cable.
Read the guide →XLPE vs EPR insulation
XLPE, TRXLPE and EPR insulation compared for 5 kV to 69 kV cable: performance, typical use, and how to identify the insulation on a reel tag.
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Where surplus comes from and how to move it
Selling situations
What affects wire value
Seven factors that decide what surplus cable is worth: metal, construction, size, footage, condition, documentation and logistics.
Read the guide →Preparing wire for pickup
A practical checklist for staging surplus cable before pickup: grouping, tagging, palletizing, access and paperwork, so the visit takes one trip.
Read the guide →Photos for a faster quote
Which photos to send with a surplus wire quote request: a wide shot of the reels, the reel tag, and the jacket print.
Read the guide →Cancelled project inventory
Wire ordered for a cancelled, delayed or redesigned project is the cleanest surplus to sell: tagged, unused and documented.
Read the guide →Overstock and slow-moving stock
How to turn overstock, discontinued colors and slow-moving cable into a quote, including how to present an inventory list that prices in one pass.
Read the guide →Partial reels
Partial reels are normal, not a problem.
Read the guide →Decommissioned plant cable
Cable removed during plant decommissioning or line replacement: what is worth selling, what documentation helps, and how condition is assessed.
Read the guide →Demolition and strip-out wire
Selling cable recovered from demolition and interior strip-outs: which constructions hold value, how to present mixed material, and pickup timing.
Read the guide →Closing a contracting business
Closing or retiring an electrical business: how to sell remaining wire inventory in one lot, what to gather first, and how pickup is scheduled.
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