We Buy Surplus MC Cable and AC Armored Cable in Ohio
MC and AC cable both wrap conductors in interlocked metal armor, and both show up in surplus lots after a project changes scope. We buy MC cable and AC cable from Ohio businesses in copper and aluminum, in coils, reels and factory cut lengths. Tell us the type, the conductor count and the footage.
The ground path is the difference
MC cable, metal-clad, carries a separate grounding conductor inside the armor: an insulated green conductor or a bare one, depending on construction. The armor is mechanical protection, and the ground path is the conductor.
AC cable, armored cable, works the other way. In the usual construction there is no separate grounding conductor. A bare aluminum bonding strip runs the length of the cable in contact with the armor, and the armor plus that strip form the equipment ground path. The two are not interchangeable on a bill of materials, which is why the type matters when you describe a lot. Read the print on the jacket or the tag before you assume which one a coil is; the designation is normally spelled out there.
What we need before we look at a coil
Conductor metal comes first: copper or aluminum. Then the AWG size and the conductor count, written the way the tag writes it, such as 12/2 or 10/3. Then the armor type, since interlocked aluminum and interlocked steel behave differently on a scale and in handling. Sizes run from #14 up through the large feeder constructions, and the tag states size and count together.
Length is the next fact. MC and AC ship in coils of 250, 500 and 1000 feet, and the larger MC feeder constructions come on reels. Tell us how many coils or reels, whether they are factory sealed, and whether the lengths are continuous. A coil holding three cut pieces is a different lot from a sealed factory coil.
Condition: armor, wraps and returns
The armor tells the story. Interlocked armor that has been pulled and returned often shows kinks, flattened sections or opened seams, and those sections cannot go forward as continuous length. Photograph the worst spot, not the best one.
Note the packaging too. Original cartons, factory bands and printed labels help. Loose coils with no label need the jacket print photographed instead. If the material came off a job with sealed and capped ends, say so, and name the Ohio city where it is stored so pickup can be planned. If the coils sat outdoors or in an unheated space, mention that as well, because armor and jacket both show it.
Quote this material
This form is routed with the category already noted, so the buyer knows what they are looking at before opening the photos.
Full reels, partial reels, coils and cartons are all reviewed. Condition changes the number, not the eligibility.
Quote MC / AC Cable
Tell us what you have and attach photos of the reels, tags and jacket legends. Fields marked * are required.
MC / AC Cable questions
What is the difference between MC and AC cable?
MC cable has a separate grounding conductor inside interlocked armor. AC cable uses a bare bonding strip in contact with the armor, and the armor serves as the equipment ground path.
Do you buy MC cable in short cut lengths?
Cut lengths are reviewed along with full coils, though continuous factory lengths are simpler to place. Tell us the length of each piece and whether the armor is intact.
Is aluminum conductor MC cable acceptable?
Aluminum MC is reviewed on the same facts as copper: size, conductor count, armor type and footage. The tag or jacket print confirms the construction.
Selling mc / ac cable?
Send the wire type, footage, condition and photos of the reels and tags. We review it and come back with pricing and pickup logistics.