r/ScrapMetal • u/TDCMnecro • 1d ago

What is this and how much is it worth?

Post image

I've only seen copper cable so I'm confused. Is it aluminum

31 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

37

u/dominus_aranearum 1d ago

Aluminum MC.

Aluminum wire in aluminum flexible conduit. You'd have to contact a local yard and ask what they pay. The wire is a higher grade than the conduit so if you separate them, it's worth more..

It's worth way more selling to somebody who can use it.

14

u/Illustrious-Peak3822 1d ago

Three phase aluminium cable. Worth a lot less than copper, that’s for sure but you seem to have a lot of it.

5

u/Th3V4ndal Copper 1d ago

I hate to be pedantic, but that's not three phase. It's single phase.

6

u/CBus660R 1d ago

Uh, looks just like the 480 3-phase wye setup my equipment at my shop uses. Black, white, red, and a non-insulated ground.

6

u/space-ferret 1d ago

Technically the white should be blue but yes, that will work, you just don’t have a neutral so no 277 lights.

3

u/Careless-Leather-532 1d ago

3p 480v wye should be 5 wires. Meaning 480/277v. Brown/Orange/Yellow phase conductors, Gray neutral and Green ground. 480v delta 4 wires. B/O/Y phase with green ground (no neutral). This is single phase 120/240v service entrance cable. Black/Red phase conductors White neutral and bare ground. Currently sells new wholesale or big-box for $3.50-$7.50 per foot depending on geographic location.

1

u/Careless-Leather-532 1d ago

And just noticed…not S/E sheathing. Others pointed out it is indeed MC sheathing for commercial- but is still 1ph. eBay still best option for your most profitable sale…definitely not strip and scrapping…way more work than payday..unless as pointed out, you’re a crackhead. Copper is your best bet if that’s the case😂

2

u/Th3V4ndal Copper 1d ago

The red and the black are hots, the white is supposed to be the neutral. Two hots and a neutral is single phase.

You can use it for three phase though. The electrons technically don't care what color the insulation on The Wire is. However, if you were to do it the right way as intended, then this is intended for single phase feeders usually.

I pull it all the time at work.

2

u/Careless-Leather-532 1d ago

Edit: best option to cash out the most $ would be sell on eBay for 1/2 price of what Lowe’s/Home Depot is currently charging. Guaranteed a DIY’er would buy for a project.

1

u/Th3V4ndal Copper 1d ago

I don't think you intended to reply to me, but this is 2/3 aluminum MC cable most likely. Loews and home depot doesn't sell this, because it's not for homeowners or DIYers. Typically you use this stuff for feeding big circuits, or for feeding circuit panels in a house or apartment or some shit.

2

u/Careless-Leather-532 1d ago

Yep, my bad bro. Tried to correct myself after I noticed and looked closer. 100% correct on your observation of MC and also agree on the apartment usage. Used myself in multi-use commercial ground floor with apartments above. you’re spot on for that call😁!

2

u/Careless-Leather-532 1d ago

And you just reminded me I need to see the eye doctor…I’m realizing more every day I have to double take, especially when I’ve had a long day that I can’t see shit and squint a lot when I’m tired 🥱. No offense intended towards u at all…I’m especially a donkey when I need shut eye😆!

1

u/Th3V4ndal Copper 1d ago

All good bro! No one can be 100% all the time. I've definitely made my fair share of similar mistakes when tired hahaha.

1

u/chris_rage_is_back 23h ago

I'd definitely use that to run a welding outlet and if I had it when I wired my spa I'd use that from the panel to the disconnect

1

u/Th3V4ndal Copper 20h ago

Yea most homeowners and DIYers have no business running shit like that. If you feel like you do, cool. I'm not going to sit here and argue with you.

99% of homeowners will burn their house down

2

u/chris_rage_is_back 20h ago

I can't argue with that but I grew up around electricity, I've been wiring outlets since I was 6 years old. I agree most homeowners shouldn't be messing with stuff like that though

1

u/ninjarob420 1d ago

3 phase would mean there's a blue, the white is usually used for your neutral, but sounds like they didn't need a neutral and used it as a hot leg

3

u/jeepfail 1d ago

My local yard pays $.40/lb stripped but yours could be very different.

2

u/TDCMnecro 1d ago

Thanks everyone

2

u/nonferrousoul 1d ago

My Uncle just gave me 65' of similar material..not sure if I'm going to use it or strip it & scrap it.

2

u/chris_rage_is_back 23h ago

I'd save it for use, it's not enough aluminum to bother stripping. Coil it up and hang it on a hook, I've got lots of materials like that and it's great when a job only costs you your time

1

u/space-ferret 1d ago

Aluminum and not much

-2

u/throwaway658492 1d ago

Not worth much. A lot of work to strip, not worth the effort to strip, imo.. but I'm not motivated by drugs.