A pile of TPS scrap cable on a wooden table

Get the Most for Your Scrap Cable

Let’s chat about scrapping TPS (thermoplastic-sheathed) cable, shall we?

Firstly, you might be wondering what TPS cable is. TPS cable is most commonly found in the wiring between electrical equipment in environments such as household wiring, commercial wiring, power generation, and any sort of industrial manufacturing. Think of everything that hums, whirrs, and whistles in your house; it has cable inside helping it do its job.

A good thing to remember is that TPS cable comes in many forms (containing copper or aluminium wiring or a mixture of both). The amount you get paid for your scrap cable also depends on a few factors, e.g., the thickness of the wire, the amount of copper or aluminium, and how clean that internal metal is. Copper and aluminium are non-ferrous (not magnetic) metals and play important roles in our daily lives—all the wiring in your home most likely consists of both copper and aluminium. You can thank cable wiring for keeping you warm in the winter, cool in summer, and the lights on at night.

Below, we explore exactly how you can get the best scrap cable value when you bring it into our scrap metal collection locations.

 

What cable can I scrap?

We often see cable brought in by electricians or “sparkies”, and in large rolls or buckets with all sorts of cable types.

There is a good chance you have old cable lying around your place, so have a gander and see what you have in the attic. TPS cable is often used in residential or light commercial construction—it’s quite literally everywhere.

The most common cable items that we receive from individuals/households for recycling include:

  • Most everyday appliances, including whiteware and electronics
  • Electrical wiring
  • Lighting

Want to check what your cable scrap could be worth? We’d love to hear from you, so get in touch with our team from Monday to Friday (7 am to 5 pm), and on Saturdays (7 am to 1 pm).

How is cable graded and priced?

Cable is graded purely on the percentage of copper in the cable. But remember, the thickness of the cable is not representative of the amount of copper inside. The plastic can be deceiving, so the best way to check is once the cable is stripped.

Cable is mainly graded into three categories; 30% cu, 42% Cu, and 65% cu. The amount you are paid depends on the grade—the higher the percentage, the more moolah you’ll walk away with.

 

How to upgrade and make more money from your cable

Now, let’s iron out the details on how to get the most bang for your buck when selling your cable! Since cable is often very similar in terms of how you drop it off, there are only a few things you can do to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck:

  • Separate your cable from other metals you scrap, so it’s not graded as ‘mixed’.
  • If you have some items that are alloys (a mix of copper with another metal), keep them aside.
  • Strip the insulation and sell the clean copper wiring only.
  • Remove all plugs and electrical fittings.

 

Get in touch with the team at Endless

If you have cable scrap you want to enquire about, you can get in touch with us from Monday to Friday between 7 am to 5 pm, and on Saturdays between 7 am to 1 pm. Our friendly team would love to hear from you. Check out our scrap cable prices online, or feel free to send us an enquiry to discover what your steel treasures could be worth.