Wire buying
Large Gauge and MCM Wire Buyers in South Carolina
Large conductor is where surplus wire value concentrates. A single 500 MCM copper reel can outweigh a pallet of branch-circuit spools, and it is the item most often sold for scrap by sellers who do not realize what they have.
Wire and cable only. Statewide South Carolina pickup, no obligation to sell.
Sizes we purchase
We buy 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 in copper and aluminum, plus 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, 750 and 1000 kcmil. These sizes appear in services, feeders, switchgear, chillers and large motor circuits, and they are the core of industrial surplus.
Copper and aluminum are both purchased but priced very differently. At the same size, copper conductor carries a multiple of the aluminum value, and the insulation type changes the number again.
Why weight-based pricing fails on large conductor
Large conductor is heavy, so it attracts scrap pricing by default. But a 500 MCM copper XHHW-2 reel with a full 1,000 feet and an intact tag is a product that a contractor will buy for a project, not metal to be melted.
The difference between the two outcomes is identification and condition. If you have the reel tag and the jacket is sound, get a product quote before considering scrap.
Parallel sets and matched lengths
Feeder installations often use two to eight conductors per phase, pulled from separate reels with matched lengths. When a project is cancelled, those sets are left intact and are worth more together than apart.
If you have matched sets, tell us the set composition and the lengths. We will quote them as a set.
What we buy in this category
- 250 MCM copper and aluminum
- 350 MCM and 400 MCM conductor
- 500 MCM copper feeder cable
- 600 MCM and 750 MCM cable
- 1000 MCM copper and aluminum conductor
- 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 building wire
- XHHW-2 and THHN large conductor
- RHW-2 and EPR large feeder cable
- Parallel feeder sets with matched lengths
- Never-energized pulled cable
- Full 1,000 ft and 2,500 ft reels
- Partial reels with documented footage
Specifications and buying notes
The table below reflects the constructions we see most often in South Carolina surplus. Variations exist between manufacturers, and the print on the jacket always governs.
| Sizes | 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, 750 and 1000 kcmil |
| Insulation | THHN/THWN-2, XHHW-2, RHW-2, EPR and XLPE |
| Conductor | Copper and AA-8000 aluminum |
| Configurations | Single conductor reels and parallel sets |
| Voltage rating | 600 V and 1,000 V; medium voltage in shielded constructions |
| Applications | Services, feeders, switchgear, chillers, large motors, substations |
| Packaging | 500 ft to 5,000 ft reels; cut lengths common |
| Condition | Never-energized pulls and full reels carry the highest value |
What photographs help us price this fastest
A shot of the reel tag, a close-up of the jacket print, a clear view of the cut end, and one overview photograph of the whole inventory. Four images usually settle every question we have without a site visit.
Questions about selling large gauge wire
What does MCM mean?
MCM and kcmil both mean thousand circular mils, a measure of conductor cross-sectional area. 500 MCM and 500 kcmil are the same size.
Which large sizes are most in demand?
4/0 through 500 MCM, because they cover most service and feeder work in commercial and industrial construction.
Do you buy 1000 MCM cable?
Yes, in copper and aluminum, usually on full reels or as documented pulls.
Is it better to sell large wire as scrap?
Usually not. Identifiable large conductor with sound insulation and known footage typically returns more as product than as scrap.
Request a quote
Tell us what is on the reel
Send the basics and a few photographs. Reel tags, jacket markings and cut ends are usually enough for us to price the material without a site visit.
- Manufacturer or brand, if legible
- Wire type, gauge or size, and voltage rating
- Approximate footage and number of spools
- Photos of reel tags, jacket print and cable ends
Prefer to talk? (614) 715-3047
saleselectricalbuyers@gmail.com
Surplus wire quote request
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