Wire buying
THHN Wire Buyers in South Carolina
THHN is the most common wire in commercial construction and the most common surplus item in a contractor's shop. We buy it in every size, in copper and aluminum, on factory reels or as tagged partial reels.
Wire and cable only. Statewide South Carolina pickup, no obligation to sell.
Why THHN surplus accumulates
Every commercial job buys THHN by the reel and finishes with something left over. Multiply that by a year of service work, a few panel changes and a warehouse move, and a contractor ends up with a wall of partial spools in 12, 10, 8 and 6 AWG plus a few large feeders nobody wants to move. That is exactly the inventory we buy.
Distributors carry the same problem in a different form: discontinued colors, overstocked sizes, and reels returned from jobs with the factory wrap opened. Both are straightforward to evaluate and both are worth more than scrap when the print is legible and the wire is dry.
Sizes and configurations we purchase
We buy #14, #12, #10 and #8 AWG THHN by the pallet, #6 through #1 AWG for feeders and subpanels, and 1/0 through 1000 kcmil for services and industrial work. Copper and aluminum are both purchased. Solid and stranded are both purchased, though stranded moves faster above #8 AWG.
Color matters less than size and footage, but it does matter for resale. Full reels of black, white, red, blue and green are simple. Specialty colors, striped conductors and small partial spools are still purchased, usually as part of a mixed lot.
THHN versus THWN-2
Most modern building wire is dual-rated THHN/THWN-2, which is suitable for wet locations at 90°C. Older stock marked THHN only cannot be used in wet locations, which narrows its market. The print on the jacket tells us which one you have, and it is the first thing we look at in a photograph.
If the print has faded, a clear photograph of the reel tag or the carton label often resolves it. Failing that, we can usually identify the construction from the insulation thickness and jacket appearance during inspection.
What we buy in this category
- Copper THHN in #14, #12, #10 and #8 AWG
- Copper THHN/THWN-2 feeders from #6 AWG to 4/0
- Large copper THHN from 250 MCM through 1000 MCM
- Aluminum THHN and THWN-2 in all stocked sizes
- Dual-rated THHN/THWN-2 in wet-location applications
- Full 500 ft, 1,000 ft and 2,500 ft factory reels
- Partial spools with legible tags or measured footage
- Job-return reels with opened factory wrap
- Discontinued and slow-moving colors
- Distributor overstock and closeout pallets
- Mixed contractor shop inventory
- THHN contained in wire pulls and feeder sets
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.
| Construction | Thermoplastic insulation with a nylon jacket over stranded or solid conductor |
| Temperature rating | 90°C dry, 75°C wet (THHN/THWN); THWN-2 rated 90°C wet and dry |
| Voltage rating | 600 V |
| Conductor | Copper or AA-8000 aluminum |
| Size range | #14 AWG through 1000 kcmil |
| Standards | UL 83, NEC Article 310; gasoline and oil resistant II where marked |
| Typical reels | 500 ft and 1,000 ft spools; 2,500 ft and 5,000 ft master reels |
| Identification | Surface print with size, type, voltage and manufacturer |
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 thhn wire
Do you buy partial spools of THHN?
Yes. Partial spools are the majority of what contractors hold. We estimate remaining footage from the tag, the spool weight, or the wrap count on the reel.
What is the difference between THHN and THWN-2, and does it affect value?
THWN-2 is rated for wet locations at 90°C, so it serves more applications and generally holds value better. Dual-rated THHN/THWN-2 is the most common modern construction.
Do you buy THHN by the pallet from distributors?
Yes. We buy distributor overstock, discontinued colors and returned job reels as full pallets or as individual items.
Can I sell THHN with faded jacket print?
Often yes. A photograph of the reel tag, carton label or a clean section of jacket usually allows identification. If not, an inspection resolves it.
Is THHN worth more than scrap copper?
Identifiable THHN on a reel with continuous footage is normally worth more than its recovered copper value, because it can return to service rather than being processed.
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
Fields marked * are required. Photographs may be added below; total upload size is limited to 10 MB.