Wire category
SELL SURPLUS ALUMINUM WIRE AND CABLE
Aluminum is the workhorse of service and underground work in Michigan, and it is frequently left over in quantities nobody wants to inventory. We buy it in reels, coils and clean cut lengths.
Leftover project wire? Sell it now — don’t scrap it.
Aluminum wire and cable we buy
- Aluminum SER — service entrance cable, commonly 2-2-2-4, 4-4-4-6 and 4/0-4/0-2/0 constructions for residential and light commercial services.
- Aluminum SEU — service entrance cable with a concentric neutral, used for overhead service drops.
- URD — underground residential distribution cable, including triplex and quadruplex assemblies in 2/0 and 4/0 and larger.
- USE-2 — single-conductor direct-burial service cable rated for wet locations.
- XHHW and XHHW-2 aluminum — feeders and service conductors in conduit, #6 through 1000 MCM.
- Aluminum MC and tray cable — armored and tray constructions with aluminum conductors in larger sizes.
- Aluminum medium-voltage cable — 15kV and 25kV URD and feeder cable, including concentric neutral constructions.
Almost all aluminum building wire sold today uses AA-8000 series alloy. Older AA-1350 alloy material still turns up in warehouses; it is identifiable on the tag or legend and is reviewed on its own merits.
Sizes we see most
Aluminum is sized larger than copper for the same ampacity, so the common surplus sizes cluster at the top of the range.
- #6 – #2 — smaller feeders and sub-panels, often in XHHW.
- 1/0 – 4/0 — the backbone of residential and light commercial service work; SER and SEU coils of 125, 250 and 500 ft.
- 250 – 500 MCM — commercial services, distribution and parallel feeders.
- 600 – 1000 MCM — utility and heavy industrial work.
Packaging is usually a wooden reel for XHHW and larger cable, or a factory coil for SER, SEU and URD. Coils that were opened and partly used are still worth quoting if the remaining length can be estimated.
Confirming aluminum and identifying the construction
Aluminum is lighter than copper — roughly a third of the weight for the same volume — and silver at a cut end. The legend almost always says so directly: ALUMINUM, AL, or an alloy designation such as AA-8000.
For underground and service cable, the printing also carries the voltage rating and the use designation: URD, USE-2, SER or SEU. Photograph the printing on several feet of jacket if the reel has rotated and the original tag is buried.
Oxidation is normal, damage is not
Aluminum conductors oxidize to a dull grey film, which is expected and not a defect. Cracked insulation, white powdery corrosion that has eaten into the conductor, and water standing inside a coil are different problems.
How aluminum surplus is priced
Aluminum is worth less per pound than copper, so the economics of moving it depend on volume. A single partial coil of SER is a convenience pickup; a rack of 4/0 URD reels is a real transaction.
Quotes reflect the alloy and construction, the size, the confirmed quantity and the condition, along with the logistics of getting it out. We will tell you when a lot is too small to justify a trip rather than waste your time.
Request a quote
Send your aluminum wire details
Send the details and photos once — we review the lot and come back with a real number, not a range.
What helps us quote fast
- Cable markings and jacket legends from the reel tag
- Total footage, reel count or an estimated weight
- Whether the material is new surplus, unused or a partial reel
- How a truck gets to it — dock, forklift, ground level
Talk to a buyer
+1 (614) 715-3047
saleselectricalbuyers@gmail.com
Photos and contact details are used only to evaluate and respond to this request. See the privacy notice.
Surplus wire quote request
Questions sellers ask before they call
Do you buy aluminum SER and SEU?
Yes. Full coils and partial lengths of aluminum SER and SEU are quoted regularly, in the common 2-2-2-4, 4-4-4-6 and 4/0 constructions.
Do you buy URD and USE-2?
Yes, including triplex and quadruplex URD and single-conductor USE-2 in copper and aluminum.
Is aluminum wire worth collecting?
In volume, yes. Large sizes and multiple reels justify a pickup; a single short coil often does not, and we will tell you honestly.
Do you buy aluminum building wire that is not AA-8000?
Older alloy material is reviewed case by case. Photograph the legend so the alloy and construction can be identified.
Something not covered here? Call +1 (614) 715-3047 or email saleselectricalbuyers@gmail.com and we will answer directly.
Surplus wire sitting in a warehouse costs money every month
Send what you have and we will tell you what it is worth. One reel, a pallet of cut lengths, or a full rack of medium-voltage cable — start with the details and a few photos.