Bare copper lots we review
Bare copper wire is a copper conductor without an insulating covering. Electrical contractors use it for grounding, bonding, jumpers and other specified connections. Some constructions also serve overhead transmission and distribution work. Its construction and temper help identify its intended electrical use.
We buy new, unused, leftover and used bare copper on full reels, partial reels, packaged coils and in cut lengths. For ground-grid leftovers, identify the construction and continuous footage of each piece. Keep the original reel and order paperwork together, especially when the conductor itself carries no markings.
We buy all types of electrical wire and cable, including mixed lots. Send photos and we will make an offer. We confirm who is selling and keep simple paperwork with each purchase. If your lot includes other constructions, the wire and cable we buy hub helps you identify them before sending an inventory.
Solid, stranded and drawn copper constructions
Temper describes the copper's mechanical condition. Soft-drawn, also called annealed, and hard-drawn copper can have the same conductor size but different handling and strength characteristics. Stranding is a separate feature: a conductor may be one solid wire or several wires laid together.
| Construction | Standards commonly shown in specifications | Identification and application notes |
|---|---|---|
| Solid soft-drawn copper | ASTM B3 | One continuous wire. Used in grounding and general electrical construction where the project calls for it. |
| Stranded soft-drawn copper | ASTM B3 with B8 or B787, depending on construction | Multiple wires. Grounding, uninsulated connections and jumpers; preserve the strand class and count from the tag. |
| Solid or stranded hard-drawn copper | ASTM B1; B8 where applicable to stranding | Used in overhead applications. Do not substitute its description for soft-drawn ground wire of the same size. |
| Medium-hard-drawn copper | ASTM B2; stranding standard as applicable | A distinct temper. Record it separately rather than grouping it with hard-drawn or annealed copper. |
| Tinned copper conductor | ASTM B33 for tin-coated soft or annealed wire | A metallic tin coating is not insulation. Identify it as tinned copper rather than assuming a silver-colored conductor is aluminum. |
Southwire describes Classes A and AA for overhead applications and more flexible Classes B and C for grounds and connections. Service Wire also lists combination-stranded constructions. Copy the actual product specification; strand class, strand count and temper should not be guessed from the reel's appearance.
Sizes, conductor metal and voltage information
Our overall buying range is 14 AWG through 1000 kcmil. For bare copper, submit the exact size and construction. Product specifications vary; not every size comes in every solid, stranded or temper combination.
Identify smaller grounding conductors as AWG, including lots covered by our 8 AWG to 1 AWG size page. Record larger grounding conductors as 1/0 through 4/0 AWG, or use the stated kcmil size for material such as 250 through 500 kcmil copper. Do not confuse 2 AWG with 2/0 AWG. Keep copper and aluminum on separate inventory lines.
Bare copper has no insulation voltage rating to report. The cited bare-conductor specifications describe copper construction and ASTM standards, not a 600 V or 1000 V insulating covering. Do not give a bare ground conductor the voltage rating of the feeder installed alongside it. Likewise, an overhead ampacity table's temperature assumptions are not a jacket temperature rating.
Green insulated THHN and THWN-2 ground wire is a different product. Leave its insulation intact and identify it from its own markings.
Read the reel tag when there is no jacket print
Unlike insulated building wire, bare copper has no jacket on which to print type letters, voltage, temperature rating or sequential footage marks. The reel tag, carton label and purchase records are therefore the main starting points.
Look for the manufacturer, catalog or stock number, conductor size, copper description, solid or stranded construction, strand count, strand class and temper. Also photograph stated length, reel identification, lot number and manufacture date or date code when present. Some labels contain fewer fields. Send what is there rather than filling gaps with assumptions.
ASTM references describe material or construction standards. They are not the same thing as a UL listing mark. If a label carries a listing or other approval, photograph the whole label so we can check its scope. Do not describe every bare-copper reel as UL listed merely because nearby insulated cable carries that mark.
An original tag's footage describes the reel as supplied, not necessarily what remains after installation cuts. Mark your remaining-footage figure as measured, recorded from a payout log or estimated. Our reel tag and jacket-print guide explains how to keep product identification separate from quantity records.
Photos that show the actual conductor
Send real photos of your material, not a catalog image. A bare conductor's surface and strand condition need to be visible, along with its packaging.
- Photograph the whole lot, then each reel with an inventory number beside it.
- Take a readable close-up of every original tag and packaging label.
- Show an accessible cut end so solid wire or individual strands can be seen. Do not cut usable length solely for a photo.
- Show the outer wraps, loose ends and any flattened areas, kinks, opened strands or discoloration.
- Include both reel flanges and any broken packaging or storage damage.
Attach the footage for each continuous piece and your Arizona location when you request a written offer. A single total for mixed sizes is not enough to describe the lot accurately.
What affects an offer
Footage per reel, matching reels, readable tags, known manufacture dates and supporting purchase records help us review the lot. Full reels, partial reels and short cut lengths can receive different offers. Current demand, conductor size, construction, condition and the copper market also affect the written offer.
Missing tags create uncertainty about temper and strand class, which can affect the offer. Kinks, flattened conductor and broken strands also affect the offer. Tell us about outdoor storage, water contact or chemical exposure, and show the affected wraps. Bare copper has no protective jacket to hide surface damage.
Do not cut a long grounding conductor into equal short pieces to make counting easier. Do not join separate lengths and describe them as one continuous run. Keep soft-drawn and hard-drawn reels apart, even when the sizes match. If you transferred wire onto another reel, disclose that change and retain the original label.
Arizona grounding-work leftovers
Solar and battery projects need grounding work as well as insulated power cable. SRP's Eleven Mile Solar System near Coolidge is a documented Pinal County solar-and-storage project. For sellers handling solar project closeouts, unused ground-grid reels should be listed separately from solar PV wire, which has its own insulation and ratings.
Mine electrical work is another relevant setting. Freeport-McMoRan lists Arizona operations at Morenci, Bagdad, Safford including Lone Star, Sierrita and Miami. Unused copper ordered for grounding, bonding or electrical construction around facilities can remain when quantities or installation plans change. These locations provide industry context, not a claim that a named operator sells material to us.
For electrical contractors with surplus wire, we buy both leftover stock and used conductor from upgrades. Identify each length and include simple paperwork, such as an invoice, purchase order, job closeout paperwork or company letter, plus the name of the person releasing the material. We pick up anywhere in Arizona. This includes project locations outside the major cities.