Wire category
SELL SURPLUS COPPER WIRE IN MICHIGAN
Copper is the most valuable wire in almost any warehouse, and the easiest to price — when the construction, size and footage are identifiable. We buy it in reels, spools, coils and clean cut lengths.
Leftover project wire? Sell it now — don’t scrap it.
Copper wire and cable we buy
Copper shows up in almost every construction we quote. These are the ones we see most often in Michigan.
- THHN and THWN copper — single-conductor branch-circuit and feeder wire, #14 through 1000 MCM, on spools and reels or in factory cartons.
- XHHW and XHHW-2 copper — cross-linked polyethylene insulated wire for feeders, service work and wet locations.
- SER and SEU copper — service entrance cable with a bare ground or concentric neutral, typically 6/3 through 4/0 and larger.
- Bare copper — solid and stranded grounding conductors, grounding electrode conductors and bonding wire.
- Green insulated ground wire — THHN and XHHW grounds in #14 through 4/0 and larger.
- Copper power cable — single and multi-conductor copper cable, including tray, control and armored constructions.
- Welding cable and flexible copper cable — rope-lay copper in rubber or thermoplastic jackets.
- Medium-voltage copper cable — 5kV through 69kV, EPR and XLPE, shielded and concentric neutral.
We also buy copper cable that has been removed during a renovation or plant teardown, provided the jacket is intact and the construction can still be identified.
Sizes and how it is packaged
| Size range | Typical ampacity | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| #14 – #10 | 15 – 30 A | Device wiring, control panels, lighting circuits, fixture whips |
| #8 – #6 | 40 – 55 A | Ranges, sub-panels, small feeders, HVAC disconnects |
| #4 – #1 | 70 – 130 A | Feeders, service risers, machinery drops, grounding |
| 1/0 – 4/0 | 120 – 230 A | Service entrances, main feeders, distribution, switchboard ties |
| 250 – 500 MCM | 255 – 380 A | Parallel feeders, industrial distribution, large service laterals |
| 600 – 1000 MCM | 475 – 615 A | Utility interconnects, heavy industrial service, substation ties |
Ampacities are approximate copper values at 75°C, listed only to help identify material. They are not installation guidance.
Packaging matters because it tells us how much handling the material needs. The common formats:
- Factory reels — 250, 500, 1,000 and 2,500 ft depending on size, usually wooden with a printed tag.
- Spools and coils — 500 ft spools of THHN, coils of bare copper, boxed 100 ft lengths.
- Partial reels — the most common surplus item in a contractor shop; footage is often written on the flange.
- Unused cut lengths — job leftovers and short ends, worth reviewing when the length is known.
How we identify copper wire
Copper is confirmed three ways, in order of reliability:
- The reel tag — type, size, voltage, footage and manufacturer in one label.
- The jacket legend — the printing on the insulation, for example 12 AWG THHN THWN-2 600V, or 4/0 AWG XHHW-2 600V.
- The conductor itself — cut and inspect an end. Copper has the characteristic red-orange color; aluminum is silver and much lighter for the same size.
Photograph the tag or the legend rather than describing it. A single clear photo often answers the type, size and voltage questions at once, and it is the difference between a fast quote and a week of messages.
Watch for copper-plated aluminum
Copper-clad aluminum looks like copper at a glance. It is lighter, and the cut end shows a silver core under a thin copper skin. Tell us if that is a possibility — it is priced as aluminum, not copper.
What changes the number
Copper content sets the ceiling for a quote, but condition decides where inside that range the number lands.
- Insulation type and thickness — heavier insulation and armor mean less copper per pound of material.
- Jacket integrity — sun-cracked, crushed or water-logged jacket reduces usable length and value.
- Confirmed footage — a reel with a legible tag and full wrap is worth more than a reel of unknown length.
- Reel condition — a broken wooden flange can mean the wire has to be re-reeled before it moves.
- Cleanliness — mud, concrete dust and standing water all cost handling time.
We are not a scrap yard and we are not buying copper by the pound alone. Unused and new surplus copper wire is purchased as wire, on the basis of what it is and how much of it there is.
What we do not buy
Copper bus bar, copper sheet, transformers, switchgear, breakers, motors, bus plugs, generators, chillers and machinery are outside our scope. We buy wire and cable — conductors, not the equipment they connect.
If a lot mixes usable cable with stripped copper and equipment, describe the cable portion and we will quote that part.
Request a quote
Send your copper 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 bare copper wire?
Yes. Bare solid and stranded copper, grounding electrode conductors and bonding wire are all material we buy, provided the size and quantity can be established.
Do you buy copper wire with damaged insulation?
It is reviewed case by case. Small nicks or scuffs on a long length are usually acceptable; crushed reels, long runs of cracked jacket or water ingress usually are not.
Is copper wire worth more than scrap?
Unused wire in identifiable constructions is bought as wire rather than as scrap, which is why the tag and legend matter. We quote the material, not just its metal content.
Do you buy copper SER and SEU cable?
Yes, in copper and in aluminum. Service cable in full coils and partial lengths is quoted regularly.
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.