Sell 250 & 300 MCM Wire in Ohio

Ohio Wire Buyers buys reusable surplus 250 and 300 MCM wire from businesses anywhere in Ohio, including full reels, partial reels and identified cut lengths. To sell 250 MCM wire or a mixed feeder lot, send photos and remaining footage for review and a written offer before pickup. We buy the material for resale and reuse, not as scrap metal by the pound.

0100 FTWhat does the size marking tell a buyer?

MCM and kcmil describe the same conductor area; kcmil is the newer notation for thousands of circular mils. A tag marked 250 MCM therefore identifies the same nominal size as 250 kcmil. Neither marking tells us whether the conductor is copper or aluminum, or which insulation surrounds it.

Read beyond the size. A useful description includes the manufacturer, conductor material, insulation letters, voltage marking, color and remaining continuous length. Keep 250 and 300 kcmil on separate inventory lines even when the reels look alike. Our wire-size overview explains how these sizes fit alongside AWG conductors and larger feeders.

Do not identify size by outside diameter alone. Insulation thickness and conductor construction change the finished diameter, so a thicker cable is not necessarily a larger conductor.

0200 FTWhat are the copper and aluminum ampacities?

The following values are from NEC Table 310.16, 2023 edition, reproduced in HELUKABEL's ampacity reference. Values are amperes for not more than three current-carrying conductors in raceway, cable or earth, based on a 30°C ambient temperature.

Terminations and conditions of use govern the actual rating. Insulation marked for 90°C does not automatically permit operation at the 90°C table ampacity; applicable temperature corrections and conductor-count adjustments also matter. These figures identify products, not approve an installation.

The comparison sometimes called “300 aluminum equals 4/0 copper” is limited: both have table values of 195, 230 and 260 A at the respective temperatures. They are not interchangeable in every design. Keep 4/0 copper leftovers separately identified rather than relabeling them as an equivalent size.

0300 FTHow much does THHN weigh, and what reel lengths are listed?

Southwire publishes separate copper-content and finished-wire weights. That distinction matters when estimating a partial reel: the gross scale reading also includes the reel, and insulated-wire weight is not all copper.

These approximate weights and packaging examples come from Southwire's 250 kcmil THHN specification and 300 kcmil THHN specification. They exclude reel weight and should not be applied to aluminum, shielded cable or another manufacturer's construction without checking its specification.

A factory put-up describes the original package, not what remains after a pull. State whether footage comes from a tag, a measured length or an estimate. The partial-reel measuring guide helps organize that distinction before an offer.

0400 FTWhich products should stay in separate groups?

Copper THHN/THWN-2: Southwire's listed products in both sizes use PVC insulation and a nylon sheath, with a 600 V rating. THWN-2 permits wet or dry use up to 90°C under the manufacturer's stated conditions. Photograph the complete legend instead of shortening every description to “THHN.” Our THHN/THWN-2 buying page covers this product family.

Aluminum XHHW-2: Southwire lists both sizes with compact aluminum conductors and cross-linked polyethylene insulation. Its specification identifies AA-8176 alloy and wet/dry temperature suitability up to 90°C. Copy the actual voltage marking from your wire; do not borrow the rating from another reel. See surplus XHHW-2 feeders for material-specific identification.

Medium-voltage cable: A 250 kcmil conductor can also be inside a shielded power cable. Southwire's specification 46302 includes a 250 kcmil copper product rated 15 kV, with a 133% insulation level, EPR insulation and a copper tape shield. That is a different product from building wire. For medium-voltage surplus, retain the full tag and any available test documentation; the conductor size alone is inadequate.

0500 FTKeep parallel-run leftovers separate

Where a project used parallel conductors, preserve the relationship between the leftovers without assuming they all have equal footage. List each conductor's color and uninterrupted length, then note which reels or cuts came from the same pull. A combined total can conceal a short piece that prevents the material from serving the next intended run.

Keep factory-paralleled reels intact when practical. Explain whether the reel holds multiple separate conductors, and whether each has the same remaining length. A photograph of the wound reel cannot answer those questions by itself.

Cut lengths should remain individual lengths, not bundles described only by total weight. Note splices, stripped ends and attached lugs. Do not shorten usable cable merely to make every coil look uniform; describe what exists so the buyer can assess it.

0600 FTWhat should you send to sell 250 MCM wire?

Start with an overview of the entire lot, then provide close-ups tied to individual reel identifiers. The most useful offer submission connects each photograph to a specific inventory line rather than leaving the buyer to match similar black reels.

Include invoice, purchase order, closeout paperwork or a company letter as available. Ohio Wire Buyers verifies the seller and ownership and keeps a written purchase record. If a tag is unclear, our reel-tag reading guide shows which fields deserve close-up photos.

0700 FTPreserve reusable condition before pickup

Leave insulation in place and retain tags. Show split reel flanges, crushed winding layers, jacket cuts and exposed ends rather than hiding them beneath wrapping. Explain storage history and disclose previously installed material; used cable is considered only if still reusable.

Avoid unnecessary unwinding to improve photographs. Get accessible views without creating new bends or dragging the wire across a rough surface. For shielded cable, document end protection and any known moisture exposure instead of assuming an intact outer jacket tells the entire story.

If material is not reusable, we say so. The surplus-versus-scrap guide explains why a scrap metal recycler may then be the appropriate buyer.

0800 FTArrange Ohio pickup around the actual lot

Tell us where the material sits, whether reels are accessible, and what loading equipment is available. Include known gross weights and damaged-reel details rather than using the THHN table as a lifting estimate.

We review your submission and reply with questions or a written offer before pickup. Payment method and timing are confirmed in writing before pickup, and the count is checked against the written terms. See how selling surplus wire works. Ohio Wire Buyers arranges pickup at Ohio jobsites, warehouses, plants and yards. We have no Ohio street address, office or yard and do not accept drop-offs.

For your 250 kcmil surplus or 300 MCM feeder lot, request an offer with photos and footage, or call 951-403-5738. Keep the material identified and intact so we can review it as usable wire rather than an unidentified weight of metal.