We buy surplus aluminum cable
Aluminum is the volume metal in Texas distribution work. A ton of it is not read like a ton of copper, and knowing why saves argument later.
Send the lot
Six details are enough to start: what the cable is, how much there is, where it is and what condition it is in. Photos can follow by text or email.
Prefer to talk 954-740-1983Aluminum cable covers a wider range here than most sellers expect: AA-8000 series building wire, SER and SEU service cable, URD, medium voltage cable and bare conductor, from 2 AWG through 1,000 kcmil. The alloys we see are AA-8000, 1350 and 6201, and the alloy matters as much as the size.
Most aluminum lots are reviewed on recovery rather than reuse, because the constructions are common and the surplus is plentiful. That is not a bad outcome. It just means the review is about weight, alloy and contamination, and less about whether a particular reel can go back into service.
Alloy, temper and why 1350 is not 8000
AA-8000 series alloy was developed for building wire, with the strength and bending behavior that terminations require. 1350 is the electrical conductor grade used in overhead line and in some cable, and 6201 is the alloy used in AAAC. They are different metals in behavior and in recovery.
A lot that mixes them is not ruined, but it is sorted. Alloy is read from the print, the reel tag or the conductor itself. Where none of that survives, the construction and the application usually give it away, and the lot is read conservatively.
Weight, conductivity and the copper comparison
Aluminum conducts less well than copper for the same cross section, so a conductor carrying the same current is larger. That is why aluminum cable looks oversized next to copper and why a service in aluminum uses bigger sizes for the same job.
It is also lighter for the same volume, which is why it is used on long overhead and underground runs. In a surplus lot the practical consequence is simple: aluminum is read on recovery, and copper on a different basis entirely. Keep the two apart and neither is penalised.
Mixed lots, steel and what counts as contamination
The common contaminants in an aluminum lot are steel and other metals. ACSR has a steel core, some cable has a steel tape armor, and some assemblies have steel hardware bolted on. All of it is separated before the aluminum is read, and a lot with a lot of steel reads lower.
Paint, heavy oxide and attached connectors are noted too. None of them makes a lot worthless, but each one adds handling. A seller who pulls the steel out before the load leaves gets a cleaner read, and the same is true of separating bare conductor from insulated.
What this page covers
The rows a buyer would fill in when reviewing this kind of lot. If your cable matches most of them, the submission is ready.
| Alloys reviewed | AA-8000 series, 1350 and 6201 |
|---|---|
| Forms | SER, URD, MV cable, bare conductor |
| Typical sizes | 2 AWG to 1,000 kcmil |
| Condition flags | Mixed alloys, attached steel, painted conductor |
| Site type | Subdivisions, utilities, industrial plants |
Distribution quantities from Georgetown to San Marcos
Aluminum dominates the utility and subdivision work in this region. The cooperatives and municipal systems around Georgetown, Seguin and Lockhart run aluminum URD and overhead conductor, and the subdivisions going in along SH-130 and US-183 use aluminum SER by the pallet.
Large industrial jobs also contribute. The plants in Taylor and the warehouses near the airport use aluminum feeder where the runs are long, and a resized project can leave several full reels that were never cut. We take those alongside the mixed utility lots.
Sellers ask
Why is aluminum read differently from copper?
Because the two metals behave differently in recovery and in reuse. Aluminum is lighter, conducts less well for the same size, and is far more common in distribution work. The review uses different references for each, so mixing them in one container never helps.
Does the alloy really matter?
It does for reuse and it is noted for recovery. AA-8000 series was made for building wire and is what a contractor expects. 1350 and 6201 appear in overhead and alloy conductor. The print or the tag usually settles which is which.
What if the cable has steel attached?
Separate what you can and tell us what is still attached. ACSR cores, steel armor and bolted hardware are all handled, but they change how the aluminum is read. Pulling the obvious steel before the load leaves is the single easiest thing to do.
Send the reel list
Six details are enough to start: what the cable is, how much there is, where it is and what condition it is in. Photos can follow by text or email.
Prefer to talk 954-740-1983