What the type letters tell us
USE-2 means underground service-entrance wire with a 90°C wet and dry temperature rating. It is used for direct-burial work. RHW-2 identifies heat- and moisture-resistant thermoset-insulated building wire, also rated 90°C wet and dry. RHH is the related 90°C dry-location designation. A single conductor may carry all three markings.
These are listings, not conductor metals or size descriptions. Common constructions use cross-linked polyethylene insulation, often shortened to XLPE or XLP. Black insulation alone does not identify the product.
| Markings or construction | What it identifies | What we need to verify |
|---|---|---|
| USE-2 | Underground service-entrance designation associated with UL 854 | Voltage, size, metal and direct-burial product documentation |
| RHH/RHW-2/USE-2 copper | Copper conductor with UL 44 and UL 854 listings | Solid or stranded construction and voltage beside each designation |
| RHH/RHW-2/USE-2 aluminum | Aluminum conductor with UL 44 and UL 854 listings, often compact stranded | Aluminum alloy, conductor size and manufacturer product code |
| PV Wire with RHW-2 and USE-2 | Photovoltaic wire with additional building-wire and service-entrance listings | UL 4703 PV listing, voltage and complete construction |
For other insulated conductors mixed into the lot, use our wire and cable categories rather than assigning every black reel to USE-2.
Sizes, metals and voltage ratings we review
We buy copper and aluminum wire, new or used. Southwire's copper USE-2/RHW-2 specification lists 14 AWG through 1000 kcmil, and its aluminum specification lists 6 AWG through 750 kcmil. Product ranges vary by manufacturer; not every size comes in both metals or constructions.
Send the actual size from the tag. Smaller copper conductors may be solid or stranded. Larger copper sizes are commonly stranded. Southwire's aluminum construction uses compact stranded conductors with an 8000-series alloy. Do not estimate size from the insulation diameter.
We review 600 V USE-2 and multiple-listed RHW-2 material at its marked voltage. For example, the reviewed Southwire products are rated 600 V as USE-2 or 1000 V as RHH/RHW-2. The higher rating does not change the USE-2 designation into 1000 V USE-2. Keep the voltage and type together in your inventory.
Group 8 AWG through 1 AWG conductors, 1/0 through 4/0 reels and 250 through 500 kcmil feeders separately. Type, metal, size and footage affect the offer for matching reels, not just reel diameter.
USE-2 versus PV Wire on solar jobs
A reel used on a solar project is not automatically PV Wire. PV Wire is a separate listing under UL 4703. USE-2-only material should not be described as PV Wire just because it was ordered for an array.
Some solar conductors carry PV Wire, USE-2 and RHW-2 listings together. A reviewed Service Wire construction has a stranded copper conductor, XLPE insulation and a separate flame- and sunlight-resistant jacket. Other USE-2 constructions may have insulation without that additional jacket. Appearance is not enough to distinguish them.
Keep the manufacturer's data sheet with the reel, especially when the project required sunlight resistance or a specific solar wiring method. A direct-burial designation does not approve every indoor or exposed-array application. The next installation must meet its project requirements and applicable code.
Use our solar PV wire page for material bearing that listing. If the print instead says XHHW-2, identify it as XHHW-2 feeder wire, not RHW-2 based on similar insulation.
Read the print line and reel tag together
Photograph enough of the outer print line to capture the full repeating sequence. On these single conductors, the print may be on the insulation rather than a separate jacket. The field order varies by manufacturer and product.
Look for the manufacturer, type letters, AWG or kcmil size, copper or aluminum identification, voltage and temperature rating. Include the UL marking or listing information, any sunlight-resistance statement and any footage marks. Send the manufacture date or date code wherever it appears on the wire or tag. If a code is unclear, photograph it rather than guessing the year.
The reel tag can add the catalog number, reel or lot number, original footage, conductor construction and color. Compare it with the wire itself. A reused reel may carry a tag for a different product. Our reel-tag and jacket-print guide explains which fields to capture.
On a partial reel, original footage is not remaining footage. Note any recorded pulls and photograph accessible footage marks. Label an unmeasured amount as an estimate, and state whether it is one continuous length or several separate pieces.
Photos that make the lot clear
Send photos of your material, not a catalog image. Show the condition as well as the product identification.
- One full-lot view showing how many reels or coils are included.
- A readable tag photo for each different size, metal or listing combination.
- Close-ups of the complete print sequence, including voltage and temperature.
- The outer wraps, exposed end and both reel flanges, with any damage visible.
- Footage marks or an inventory list showing remaining length per reel.
For bundled coils, show how each continuous length is labeled. Submit these details through Get an Offer, along with the Arizona location. We confirm who is selling and keep simple paperwork with each purchase.
What affects a USE-2 offer
Full reels, readable multiple listings and known continuous footage affect the offer. We also buy partial reels, boxed coils, cut lengths and mixed lots. Keep matching feeder conductors together and record the length of each one, rather than giving only combined footage.
Missing tags, unclear voltage markings and uncertain remaining length affect our assessment and offer. Long outdoor storage, damaged flanges, cuts in insulation or flattened sections also affect the offer. A wet-location or sunlight-resistance rating is not evidence that a particular reel remains undamaged. Show discoloration, cracking, standing-water exposure or unprotected ends plainly.
We buy all types of electrical wire and cable, new, leftover or used. For the purchase paperwork, keep an invoice, purchase order, job closeout record or company letter with the inventory, plus the name of the person releasing the material. For company-owned reels, we confirm that person's authority to sell. Current demand, conductor metal and the copper and aluminum markets also affect the written offer.
Where Arizona leftovers can come from
Solar construction and underground service installations can leave unused USE-2 and multiple-listed RHW-2 reels. Shorter final routes, changed specifications or excess orders can leave full and partial reels at closeout.
Pinal County's Eleven Mile Solar System near Coolidge is a specific example of Arizona solar and battery construction. SRP announced its completion celebration in October 2024. In Maricopa County, Recurrent Energy's October 2024 announcement described Papago Solar and Desert Bloom Storage with planned 2026 operation. That announcement alone does not confirm their completion.
These projects illustrate the work involved, not known available reels or a relationship with their owners. Solar and battery project sellers should separate PV-listed conductors from USE-2-only inventory. Electrical contractors with surplus wire should also distinguish underground service leftovers from indoor feeder material. We pick up anywhere in Arizona.
Mistakes to avoid before offering the reels
Do not combine USE-2-only and PV-listed material into one inventory line. Do not omit the RHW-2 marking when it is present, or apply a higher voltage printed beside RHW-2 to every listing on the conductor.
Record the length of each piece. Continuous footage and the number of separate lengths affect the offer. Preserve the original tags and disclose uncertain footage instead of listing the whole lot simply as solar cable or underground wire.