XHHW-2 constructions and markings
XHHW-2 is thermoset-insulated building wire used for services, feeders and branch circuits in conduit or other permitted wiring systems. Common products have cross-linked polyethylene insulation, called XLPE, over a single copper or aluminum conductor. The insulation is rated for 90°C operation in wet or dry locations. That does not mean every equipment terminal accepts a 90°C ampacity.
On ordinary single-conductor XHHW-2, the surface often called the jacket is the insulation itself. Read its print rather than identifying wire by feel or color. If your lot includes other feeder types, identify them separately using our wire and cable buying categories.
| Construction or marking | What it tells us | What to confirm on your reel |
|---|---|---|
| Copper XHHW-2 | XLPE-insulated copper, solid or stranded in small circuit sizes and commonly stranded in feeder sizes | Size, stranding and voltage rating |
| Aluminum XHHW-2 | XLPE-insulated aluminum, commonly compact-stranded 8000-series alloy feeders | Aluminum designation and alloy information if shown |
| UL-listed XHHW-2 | UL 44 is the thermoset wire and cable standard used by the cited products | Listing identification on the product and tag |
| XHHW-2/RW90 | A product carrying both type designations | Read the voltage assigned to each designation |
| CT rated or sunlight resistant | Additional product qualifications, not features to assume from XHHW-2 alone | Exact marking and applicable size in the manufacturer's sheet |
Sizes and voltage ratings we review
We buy reusable surplus electrical wire and cable, not just factory-full feeder reels. Boxed coils and unused continuous cut lengths can qualify too. These XHHW-2 constructions fall within our buying range:
| Product | Sizes to identify | Ratings to report |
|---|---|---|
| Copper circuit wire | 14, 12 and 10 AWG, solid or stranded | Marked 600 V or 1000 V; 90°C wet/dry |
| Copper feeder wire | 8 AWG through 1000 kcmil | Marked 600 V or 1000 V; 90°C wet/dry |
| Aluminum feeder wire | Common sizes from 6 AWG through 1000 kcmil | Marked 600 V or 1000 V; 90°C wet/dry |
Treat the reel's actual marking as the starting point. Do not relabel older 600 V wire as 1000 V because a current catalog offers that rating. A dual-rated reel needs photos showing both ratings. Manufacturer offerings and additional listings vary by size.
Keep 1/0 through 4/0 feeders separate from numbered AWG sizes. For larger reels, distinguish 250 through 500 kcmil conductors from 600 through 1000 kcmil wire. A 4 AWG tag and a 4/0 tag describe different sizes.
Read the insulation print and reel tag together
Look for these fields across a complete repeat of the print line. Their order varies, and some details appear only on the tag:
- Manufacturer or brand, followed by type letters such as XHHW-2 and any additional designation.
- Conductor size in AWG or kcmil, with copper or aluminum identification when printed.
- Voltage and temperature ratings, plus wet/dry information if shown.
- UL listing identification and extra markings such as CT or sunlight resistant.
- Sequential footage marks, if provided, and a manufacture date, lot number or date code.
The tag may add a catalog number, color, conductor construction, original footage and reel identifier. Compare it with the wire actually wound on the reel. A reused reel can carry a tag for a different product. Photograph an unfamiliar date code rather than guessing what it means.
Our reel tag and wire-print guide explains how these identifiers work together. If the tag says XHHW-2 but the visible wire says THHN, report the mismatch before counting it as one product.
Photographs that make the feeder lot clear
Send real photos of your material, not catalog images. One wide view should show the entire lot and the number of reels. Then photograph each distinct size, metal, color and listing.
Get a close, readable shot of the tag and another of a complete print repeat. Turn the camera along the wire so the voltage and type letters stay in focus. Include the existing conductor end if it is accessible, without removing insulation just for a photo.
Show both reel flanges, the outside wraps and any damaged area. If wrap hides the wire, explain that rather than describing unseen insulation as clean. Assign each reel an identifier that matches your footage list.
For partial reels, state whether footage comes from a pull record, measurement or estimate. Sequential marks can help only when the relevant endpoints are known. The tag's original footage is not the amount remaining after a pull. Send these details with your XHHW-2 offer request.
What helps or hurts an XHHW-2 offer
Long continuous feeder lengths are more useful than the same total footage divided into short pieces. Matching reels of the same size, conductor metal and rating help us understand what another installation could use. Record individual color lengths rather than calling everything a complete feeder set.
Readable listings matter because similar-looking XLPE wire can have different permitted uses. Intact tags, traceable purchase paperwork and clear manufacture information reduce uncertainty. Copper and aluminum are reviewed separately, along with demand for the particular size and construction.
Insulation cuts, crushed wraps, broken flanges, missing tags and unknown remaining footage can lower an offer or prevent acceptance. Sun and water exposure also belong in your description. Keep outdoor-stored Arizona reels covered, preserve the tags and report visible deterioration. A sunlight-resistant marking does not erase existing damage.
We do not buy wire pulled out of service, burned or damaged wire, short chopped pieces, or material you cannot show you own. Unused wire left on a reel after a feeder installation is different from wire removed from that completed installation.
Arizona commercial and solar project leftovers
Commercial feeder changes can leave an unused reel when equipment locations move, a route becomes shorter or a planned pull is canceled. Electrical contractors with surplus inventory should match those reels to the purchase order and revised pull schedule before releasing them.
Goodyear's Vantage AZ1 data-center project is one example of the state's electrical-intensive construction market. Southland Industries describes an ongoing campus project scheduled for completion in 2028. On work of this kind, phased equipment installations can leave surplus feeder lengths if your scope specified XHHW-2. The project reference does not establish its wire specification or an available lot.
Solar and battery work creates a different sorting problem. SRP announced completion of the Eleven Mile Solar System near Coolidge in Pinal County in 2024. For solar and storage project closeouts, separate unused XHHW-2 feeder reels from module wiring and other cable families. These are potential sources of contractor surplus, not claimed customer relationships.
Mistakes to avoid before selling
Do not combine copper and aluminum reels under one description, or infer conductor size from outside diameter. Compact stranding and insulation construction can make visual comparisons misleading. Keep the printed size attached to each reel's inventory entry.
Do not list XHHW-2 as THHN or THWN-2 wire, even when both were ordered for the same commercial job. Likewise, a solar project does not turn a feeder into PV wire. Photograph the separate listings instead of choosing whichever name sounds familiar. XHHW-2 alone is not proof of direct-burial suitability; confirm that separately from product documentation.
Do not cut a long feeder into easier-to-handle sections or discard its tag before review. Preserve the continuous length and document any uncertainty. Confirm who has authority to sell company-owned reels and keep the invoice or job closeout paperwork available.