We buy California solar cable leftovers, from unused 10 AWG string-wire reels to large collector conductors and scrap copper cutoffs. To sell solar PV wire, show us the actual PV marking, voltage, color, and remaining length. We evaluate full reels, partial reels, and project remnants without treating every solar cable as the same product.
Sell solar PV wire with the right product identity
PV wire is single-conductor wire evaluated for photovoltaic applications under UL 4703. Copper and aluminum versions exist, typically with insulation designed for sunlight and moisture exposure. XLPE insulation is common, but the precise construction must come from the product sheet.
USE-2 is a separate designation. Some wire carries several ratings, including RHH/RHW-2 and PV WIRE, but one marking does not imply all the others. Our USE-2 and RHW-2 buying page covers reels whose identity is underground service-entrance or thermoset building wire.
RPVU90 appears on Canadian photovoltaic products evaluated to applicable CSA standards. For example, Southwire's RPVU90 specification describes XLPE-insulated copper and includes tinned-copper options. That designation alone is not evidence of UL 4703 certification; document every certification actually supplied.
Solar cable can also be marked XLPO. Prysmian's solar brochure includes XLPO constructions under international specifications. Insulation material and an overseas solar designation do not automatically establish a California-accepted listing. Buyers and end users must verify suitability rather than substituting similar-looking products.
String wire and collector conductors need separate listings
Common module and string inventory includes 12 and 10 AWG copper, often red or black. Larger home-run conductors can include 8 and 6 AWG and much larger sizes. Color is a useful inventory detail, not proof of conductor size, voltage, or listing.
Representative copper PV products span 14 AWG through 1000 kcmil (MCM). Aluminum lines can span 6 AWG through 1000 kcmil, with AA-8000-series alloys used in reviewed products. These family ranges are not a promise that every color, rating, and package exists at every size.
| Solar lot | Record separately | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| 10 or 12 AWG string wire | Color, copper finish, voltage, length | All black outdoor wire is PV Wire |
| Large copper home-run reel | Exact AWG/kcmil, listing, footage | Reel gross weight equals copper weight |
| Aluminum collector stock | Alloy, size, rating, product number | Copper and aluminum share the same value basis |
| Tinned copper cable | Tin-coated conductor specification | Silver-colored strands are aluminum |
| Cut leads or harnesses | Piece lengths and assembly details | Total lead footage equals one continuous reel |
Ratings of 600V, 1000V, and 2000V are encountered in PV products. A 2000V rating does not identify every cable from a solar farm, nor does it describe every project's operating voltage. Read voltage alongside the type designation it belongs to.
California solar construction creates several surplus streams
EIA reported about 25 GW of utility-scale solar capacity in CAISO in April 2026. Its June 2026 solar analysis describes that capacity, not all California solar or the amount of leftover wire. Rooftop capacity is not included in that particular figure.
Design changes, overbuys, cancelled runs, and project closeouts can leave unused reels at utility-scale, commercial, and residential sites. The solar project surplus guide addresses those mixed project lots. State the contractor, developer, or owner with authority to release the material.
Kern, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare county solar work makes collector and array inventory relevant to Central Valley wire sellers. The inventory still needs product-level identification. A project name cannot tell us if a reel is PV wire, ordinary feeder stock, or MV collection cable.
Reel footage, exposure, and ratings affect reusable value
Typical PV put-ups include 500-, 1000-, and 2500-foot reels, with larger ordered reels for utility projects. Small coils and cut remnants also occur. List footage reel by reel instead of multiplying the original label length by the number of partly used packages.
Original tags, continuous length, matching product numbers, and known storage help preserve inventory value. Note insulation cuts, crushing, visible weathering, rewinding, splices, and prior installation. Sunlight resistance does not prove that any damaged or long-exposed reel remains fit for service.
Capture the actual wet/dry temperature rating and any SUN RES, direct-burial, or cold-temperature language. A reviewed copper PV family is rated 90°C wet or dry, but unidentified solar cable should not inherit that specification. Direct-burial suitability also needs supporting product information rather than an outdoor appearance.
Sort related solar material without relabeling it PV wire
A solar closeout can contain tray cable, grounding conductor, and AC feeder cable alongside string wire. These belong on different inventory lines even if the same crew purchased them. Our wire and cable catalog helps route each family.
Medium-voltage collection cable needs its own voltage, insulation level, shielding, and end-seal records. Bare grounding reels need size, temper, and stranding information. Keeping these products identified lets us consider their actual inventory value instead of pricing a mixed lot by appearance.
MC4-type connectors are components, not a wire type. List loose connectors and completed harnesses separately, with maker and part numbers. A familiar connector shape does not establish compatibility or change the certification of the attached cable.
What to send us from your PV cable lot
Organize the submission by product number, then by reel or piece:
- Tag photos showing PV product number, conductor size, factory color, date or lot, and original footage.
- A complete legend showing PV WIRE, USE-2, RHH/RHW-2, RPVU, or other designations actually present.
- Clear voltage, wet/dry temperature, sunlight, burial, and certification markings without cropping adjacent ratings.
- Copper, tinned-copper, or aluminum identification, including alloy information where listed.
- Remaining continuous footage per reel, endpoint marks if accessible, and a note about rewound or spliced material.
- Overall photos showing insulation condition, reel damage, outdoor storage, and any previously installed portions.
- Separate lead or harness quantities with lengths, connector part numbers, and assembly records if available.
- Release or purchase documentation, California pickup location, loading equipment, and the laydown-yard clearance deadline.
We issue a written offer before collecting the material and confirm payment method and timing in writing. Keep unknown footage and exposure history marked as unknown rather than filling gaps with the original order quantity.
Separate copper cutoffs from reusable array reels
Used, damaged, or short copper pieces may be evaluated for metal recovery rather than resale as cable. Keep aluminum home-run scraps out of the copper group. Insulation and packaging add weight without adding the same recoverable copper content.
Scrap purchases remain subject to California's applicable identification, record, and nonferrous payment rules. This is a summary, not legal advice, and an unused solar label should not be treated as an automatic exemption. We pick up within California, with the lot's documented contents and handling needs established before transport.
Common questions
Does 2000V PV wire mean it came from a 2000V system?
No. The printed cable rating and the operating voltage of the project are separate facts. We describe the wire using its actual marked rating rather than inferring the system voltage. Send the full PV WIRE legend, conductor size, metal, and product number. Project drawings can help identify surplus, but they do not replace the cable's own certification records.
Should I call black USE-2 leftovers PV wire?
Only if the actual product also carries the appropriate PV Wire identification. USE-2 alone does not establish UL 4703 evaluation, and a 600V USE-2 marking does not become 2000V because it served a solar project. Photograph every rating in the legend. We keep USE-2 stock identified by its own markings rather than combining unlike cable under one solar description.
How should I list short solar leads with connectors?
Identify them as finished leads or harnesses, separate from bulk wire reels. Include each lead's length, conductor size, cable print, connector maker and part number, and any assembly documentation. MC4-type describes a connector category, not the wire specification or proof of mating compatibility. Tell us if leads were installed, cut, or disconnected so we can evaluate the material without assuming it remains suitable for reuse.