Copper cable offcuts and lots: strip it or sell it intact?
The copper share and your hours decide. Thin cable is rarely worth stripping.
In short
Cable is where people most often overpay. The listed weight includes insulation and often the reel. The conductor may be aluminium or copper-clad aluminium. And stripping takes hours. Full rings and long lengths of current cable types often sell best as cable. For the rest, compare the intact price with the stripped price in the calculator, with your own sample.
Suitable for beginners
- Check the conductor first: copper, aluminium (NA… types) or CCA.
- Weigh a sample, strip it, weigh the copper. That is your copper share.
- The intact price already pays for part of the copper.
- The thicker the conductor, the better stripping pays.
- Never burn insulation.
Who this suits
- Skills
- Beginners, for cable that is already disconnected and cut.
- Tools
- Scales, sharp knife or a manual stripper, gloves, eye protection.
- Space
- A bench, and bins for insulation waste.
- Transport
- A car. Reels need a van.
- Time
- This is the route that eats hours. Thin cable takes long per kg of copper. Time a sample.
Where to look
- Electricians selling offcuts and part rings
- Stock clear-outs
- Building owners selling what was left over after a job
Identify it exactly
| What to find | Why it changes value or repairability |
|---|---|
| Printed type code | NYY and NYM have copper conductors. Codes starting NA (NAYY) have aluminium. |
| Cross-section | 5×16 mm² has far more copper per metre than 3×1.5 mm². |
| Cut end | Pink through and through is copper. Silver core is aluminium or CCA. |
| Armour, lead or steel | Armoured and lead-sheathed cable are separate, low grades. |
| Plugs and devices attached | “Cable with plugs” is one of the lowest grades. |
| Reel | A wooden or steel reel can be a large part of the stated weight. |
Evidence to ask for
- Net weight without the reel
- Photo of the printed type code
- Photo of a cut end
- Lengths of the longest pieces
- Where it is from and that it is theirs
What is uncertain
The copper share differs widely between cable types, and we have no measured data to publish. Do not rely on a percentage from a forum. Measure a sample from this lot, and enter a cautious, an expected and a good case.
Reuse or scrap?
Usable cable is worth far more as cable than as metal.
Better resold for reuse
- Full or part rings of current types with readable printing
- Long lengths of thick cable
- Unused flexible cable on the reel
Scrap
- Short offcuts
- Old, brittle or damaged cable
- Mixed lots nobody can use
Where DIY stops
Only cable that is already disconnected and removed.
Do not
- Do not pull cable from any installation.
- Do not take cable from building sites, railway land or public ground.
- Never burn insulation. It is illegal in many places, poisonous, and burnt copper is a lower grade.
- Dispose of the insulation properly. Ask your buyer or recycling centre what it costs.
Costs to count
- Fuel for collection and the trip to the buyer
- Blades and tool wear
- Disposal of the insulation
- Your hours for collecting, stripping, cleanup and selling
Questions for the metal buyer
- Which cable grades do you have, and by what copper share?
- Which grade will my stripped wire be: bright, second grade or tinned?
- What is the price tier for the weight I will bring after stripping?
- Do you take the insulation waste, and at what cost?
- What ID do you need, and how do you pay?
How we calculate
The calculator compares two complete routes with their own costs and hours. The example on the calculator page is invented and labelled. Dealer prices shown on the German site are dated examples.
Walk away when
- No cut end or type code shown
- Weight only “with reel”
- Aluminium or CCA sold at a copper price
- Unclear origin
- The intact route already loses money and stripping does not pay for your hours
Run your numbers
The calculator opens with this item selected. Prices and copper shares stay empty until you enter your own.
Find material
Stored listings that mention these items, read for what the seller actually wrote.
Searches to try
Suggestions in the language sellers use. We have no data on how often they are searched. Open on FlipGap and save the search.
Clear-outs and lots
A lot may hold material. “Clearance”, “heavy”, “old” or “free” prove neither copper nor profit.
FlipGap search and saved searches work for these queries. Links to other sites open a normal search there.
Rules in United Kingdom
We have not compiled the waste and scrap-trading rules for United Kingdom. Check with your local authority before you buy scrap regularly. German rules are not shown here because they do not apply.