Continuous footage matters more than the total
A partial reel holds the unused remainder of a longer reel. A cut length is a separate, continuous piece. Both can still serve another installation, but a total-footage figure alone does not show what an installer can use.
Two separate 90-foot pieces total 180 feet. They are not one 180-foot run. Likewise, putting several cuts onto one reel does not turn them into continuous wire. List every piece separately, including any breaks hidden under the outer wraps.
We buy all types of electrical wire and cable, new, unused, leftover or used. Full reels, partial reels, boxed coils, cut lengths and mixed lots are welcome. Send photos and we will make an offer. For a remainder with unreadable identification, send any available labels or records rather than guessing. The other wire selling guides cover related identification and closeout questions.
Identify each remainder before grouping it
Read the product markings rather than sorting only by color or reel size. Record the manufacturer, product code, conductor size, copper or aluminum, insulation type, voltage marking and date or lot code where shown. For multiconductor cable, also record the conductor count and ground details.
| Material | Details that distinguish one leftover from another |
|---|---|
| Single-conductor building wire | AWG or kcmil, metal, solid or stranded construction, insulation designation and color |
| MC cable | Exact MC product type, conductor count, conductor sizes and ground configuration from its label |
| Shielded medium-voltage cable | Voltage class, insulation designation, shield construction and end-seal condition |
| PV wire | Product designation, voltage marking, conductor size and metal |
For example, 500 KCMIL CU THHN/THWN-2 600V describes identification fields you might record, not a universal print-line format. Southwire's copper THHN/THWN-2 specification describes PVC insulation with a nylon sheath and a 600-volt rating. Read both designations: THHN covers dry-location use, while THWN-2 covers wet or dry locations within its ratings.
Keep THHN and THWN-2 remainders separate from look-alike products. For partial coils of MC cable, save the package label. Use the reel-tag reading guide when a code is unclear.
Establish footage without guessing from the reel tag
The original tag usually describes the shipped length. After cuts, it is not proof of what remains. Preserve it for product identification and add a separate remainder label.
- Check for sequential footage markings. Confirm whether the units are feet or meters and how that manufacturer's numbering works.
- If both ends of one continuous piece are safely accessible, photograph a readable mark near each end. Subtract the smaller number from the larger number.
- Measure the portions between those marks and the actual ends. Record them separately rather than silently rounding the result.
- If you cannot establish the length this way, record the method used and mark the figure as an estimate.
Cerrowire's True Sequential Footage system on designated Master Reels starts at zero at the bottom and ends with the finished length at the top. That makes the outer reading useful for its original reel. Do not apply that assumption to every brand, or to wire moved onto another reel.
A reel-dimension calculation is an estimate, especially with loose wraps or uneven winding. See estimating footage left on a reel. Do not disturb a heavy reel just to expose a hidden end.
Worked examples: present the lengths honestly
These examples use hypothetical inventory to show how to list footage. They are not installation designs.
One marked cut length
A continuous piece has marks of 8,240 and 8,420 feet near its ends. The distance between those marks is 180 feet, calculated as 8,420 minus 8,240. Any wire beyond the marks must be measured separately. Describe it as 180 feet between photographed marks, with end allowances not yet measured, rather than claiming an exact overall length.
Three uneven feeder remainders
Suppose you have three otherwise matching pieces of 500 kcmil feeder wire:
| Piece | Continuous footage | Inventory note |
|---|---|---|
| A | 180 feet | Keep intact |
| B | 165 feet | Shortest piece |
| C | 180 feet | Keep intact |
| Total | 525 feet | Three separate pieces, not one run |
For an installation needing three equal-length conductors, the shortest piece limits the available matched length to 165 feet each, before required termination and routing allowances. The installer must also check the required neutral, ground and product suitability. This table is not a complete feeder design.
Do not shorten A and C to match B before review. Keeping the extra footage preserves other possible uses. Your inventory should show all three existing lengths, not just the combined total or the shortest length.
What changes the offer on partial material
Full reels generally compare more favorably than short cut lengths. For partial material, the useful footage on each piece and the number of matching reels matter. Matching size alone is not enough if the metal, insulation, voltage rating or construction differs.
Readable tags and markings reduce uncertainty. A manufacture date, purchase record and clear condition photos help describe the lot. Missing footage records make it harder to judge whether a cut length is useful. Damaged flanges, faded identification and uncertain storage history can also lower the offer. Current demand for that product also matters.
Keep insulation and markings intact, and label unidentified pieces individually. This preserves information that helps us review the wire and make an offer.
Protect the ends and keep the existing lengths
Southwire's handling guidance calls for insulated cable ends to be sealed against intrusion and resealed after cutting. It also calls for loose ends to be secured against unwinding. Follow the product manufacturer's sealing instructions; an improvised cover is not proof that moisture stayed out.
For medium-voltage cable remainders, photograph each end seal and disclose any period when an end was open. Do not hide an exposed end under new wrapping. Include available test records, without treating photos as an electrical test.
Check for crushed sections, cuts and sharp kinks. Keep reel flanges upright, retain labels and avoid tightening a coil beyond the manufacturer's bending limits. Photograph any condition concerns clearly. Jacket condition and end seals affect the offer.
Sort Arizona solar leftovers by product, not job name
SRP's October 2024 notice documented the Eleven Mile Solar System near Coolidge in Pinal County, combining solar generation and battery storage. On a solar closeout in that area, describing everything as solar cable would still be too vague.
Separate unused PV wire from building-wire feeders and shielded cable. Each category needs its own markings and continuous lengths. Project location does not establish a cable's rating.
For material stored outside in Arizona, disclose sun exposure and wet storage. Southwire recommends indoor storage for building wire to reduce sunlight-related color fading. A sunlight-resistant marking does not replace an inspection of the cable, packaging and end seals.
Prepare a piece-by-piece inventory
Use one row per continuous piece or reel. Give each a simple ID that appears in its photos.
- Product: manufacturer, exact type, conductor size and metal.
- Construction: conductor count, color, shield or ground details where applicable.
- Length: footage per piece, measurement method and whether estimated.
- Packaging: original partial reel, transferred reel or separate coil.
- Condition: end seals, readable markings, flange condition and any concerns.
- Records: original tag, invoice or job closeout paperwork linked to the material.
- Location: the Arizona city or community where the lot is available.
Photograph the whole lot, each piece ID, the tag, a readable print line and the ends. Keep the original full-reel invoice even when the remaining footage is smaller. We confirm who is selling and keep simple paperwork, such as an invoice, purchase order, job closeout paperwork or company letter, plus the name of the person releasing the material. For company-owned material, we confirm that person's authority to sell. The payment and paperwork guide explains the supporting records.
Send that inventory and its photos to get a written offer. We pick up anywhere in Arizona.