Selling situations
What actually affects the value of surplus wire
Sellers usually ask what their wire is worth per pound. Buyers do not price it that way. Cable is priced as a product that someone can install, and the factors below decide whether that is possible.
We do not publish prices, because two reels of the same size can differ by a factor of three depending on what is printed on the jacket. What we can explain is which facts move the number.
The four physical factors
Metal comes first: copper and aluminum are different markets. Construction comes next, because THHN, tray cable and 15 kV concentric neutral serve different buyers. Size follows, since larger conductors carry more metal per foot and fewer buyers. Footage completes the picture, because a 40-foot cut length and a 2,500-foot reel are different products.
Condition and documentation
New surplus on a factory reel is the easiest to place. Opened but unused reels are close behind. Used cable is evaluated on jacket integrity, corrosion, heat damage and service history. Documentation — the factory tag, test records, work orders — reduces uncertainty, and reduced uncertainty is reflected in the offer.
Logistics is a real factor
A tagged reel on a dock in Nashville and the same reel in a basement with no elevator are not worth the same to a buyer. Distance, access, weight and handling all consume value. That is why the quote form asks about loading before it asks about price.
Questions about this
Do you price by the pound?
No. Cable is quoted as a product on its construction, size, footage and condition. Weight matters mainly for transport.
Does a missing tag reduce the offer?
Yes, because the buyer has to assume more risk. Jacket print and photos reduce that gap.
Is used cable worth selling?
Often yes. It is quoted on disclosed condition rather than assumed to be new.