If you have old cable piled in a workshop in Riyadh or on a demolition site in Dammam, the first question is always the same: does bare copper wire pay more than insulated wire? Yes. Bare, clean copper almost always earns a higher electric wire scrap price per kilogram, because the buyer receives pure metal with no plastic to remove before recycling.
Should you strip every cable before selling, then? No, and this is where many sellers lose money. Stripping raises the price per kilogram but cuts your total weight, and it costs time and labour. A drum of thin multi-strand cable might be only 30 percent copper by weight; stripping it by hand can take days and still pay less than selling it insulated. The right choice depends on cable type, copper recovery percentage, and quantity.
After years of buying cable across Saudi Arabia, from AC installers in Jeddah to factories in Jubail, one pattern holds: sellers who understand grading get better offers. This guide explains how it works.
What Is Electric Wire Scrap?
Electric wire scrap is any used cable that still contains recoverable metal, usually copper, sometimes aluminium. Common sources:
- Residential wiring removed during renovation
- Commercial wiring from offices, shops, and malls
- Industrial cable from plants and machinery upgrades
- AC and HVAC wiring replaced during installation or servicing
- Construction-site offcuts, which add up faster than most contractors realise
- Telecom and data cable from network upgrades
A few coils in a workshop corner can hold real value, especially when copper prices are strong.
Bare Copper Wire vs Insulated Wire: What Is the Difference?
What Is Bare Copper Wire?
Bare copper wire has no plastic or rubber insulation. The cleanest grade in the trade is Bare Bright: uncoated, unalloyed copper, typically thicker than 1.6 mm, shiny, with no tarnish, paint, or solder. Below that sits clean bare copper that may be slightly oxidised or thinner.
Buyers pay more for bare copper for a simple reason: there is nothing to process, so more of the metal’s market value passes back to the seller.
What Is Insulated Copper Wire?
Insulated wire is copper covered by PVC or rubber, from heavy single-core power cable down to fine telephone wire, and the value varies just as widely.
The number that matters most is the copper recovery percentage: how much of the cable’s total weight is actually copper. Thick single-core cable might be 75 to 85 percent copper. Thin data cable might be 25 percent or less. Two drums can weigh the same and be worth very different amounts.
Which Pays More: Bare or Insulated Wire?
Per kilogram, bare copper wins. But per kilogram is not the same as total profit, and this is the trap.
Stripping insulation may increase the price per kilogram, but the seller loses the weight of the insulation and must consider labour, time, equipment, and the amount of copper recovered.
A rough example: 100 kg of insulated cable at 50 percent recovery becomes about 50 kg of bare copper after stripping. Sold as-is, you are paid on the full 100 kg at an insulated rate that already reflects the recovery percentage. For thin cable, selling insulated usually wins. For thick cable in quantity, stripping often does.
Note too that thick, high-copper insulated cable can be worth more per kilogram than thin mixed cable, even though both are “insulated”.
How Electric Wire Scrap Price Is Calculated
There is no single electric wire scrap price across Saudi Arabia. Anyone quoting a guaranteed rate without seeing the material should make you cautious. A serious buyer evaluates:
Copper Content
The starting point. More copper by weight means higher value.
Wire Thickness
Thicker conductors mean more metal and less jacket, and they strip faster if you go that route.
Copper Recovery Percentage
The core metric for insulated cable. Some buyers cut a sample and weigh the conductor against the jacket.
Cleanliness and Contamination
Oil, concrete, tape, and attached fittings lower the grade. Burnt cable is downgraded heavily.
Type of Insulation
Standard PVC is straightforward to process. Some jacket materials are harder to separate and reduce the offer.
Wire Grade
Bare Bright, clean bare copper, high-grade insulated, low-grade insulated, and mixed wire are all priced differently.
Total Weight and Quantity
Larger lots justify collection costs and often earn a better rate. A contractor in Al Khobar selling two tonnes is in a different position than someone selling two coils.
Current Copper Market Conditions
Copper is traded globally, and rates in KSA move with it. Last month’s quote may not hold this month.
Location and Transportation
Collection from Yanbu, Ras Al Khair, or a site in Al Ahsa involves different logistics than a pickup inside Riyadh, and that affects the net offer.
Types of Electrical Wire and Their Relative Value
Each type is evaluated on its own terms. Broadly, from strongest to weakest grade: Bare Bright copper wire, clean bare copper wire, thick single-core insulated wire, heavy power cable, building wire, multi-core cable, AC and HVAC cable, industrial electrical cable (which varies widely), telecom cable, data cable, and mixed thin wire. Aluminium electrical wire has value too, at aluminium rates rather than copper rates, so keep it in a separate pile.
When Is It Worth Stripping Electrical Wire?
Stripping tends to make sense when most of these are true:
- Large quantities of thick copper cable
- High copper recovery, roughly 70 percent or more
- Access to a proper wire-stripping machine, not just a knife
- Time and labour available without pulling people off paid work
Selling insulated as-is is usually better for thin cable, mixed cable, fine multi-strand wire, low copper content material, small quantities, or any case where labour costs exceed the extra value.
If unsure, ask for two quotes: one as-is, one for the estimated stripped copper. You can request that evaluation from MAB Scrap Metal at https://mabscrapmetal.com or on 0572188268.
How to Get the Best Electric Wire Scrap Price
- Separate copper wire from aluminium wire; mixed loads get graded at the lower rate.
- Keep bare copper away from insulated cable.
- Sort thick and thin cables into separate lots.
- Remove non-metal attachments such as plugs where practical.
- Do not mix clean copper with contaminated material; one oily coil can downgrade a batch.
- Organise cables by type so each lot is graded on its merits.
- Sell larger quantities together; bulk earns better rates.
- Ask how the buyer calculates copper recovery.
- Verify the weight on a scale you can see.
- Request a transparent quotation broken down by grade, not one blended number.
Common Mistakes When Selling Cable Scrap
We see the same errors at sites from Makkah to Qatif:
- Mixing all cable types together, which prices the whole load at the weakest grade
- Assuming every wire contains copper, when plenty of cable is aluminium or steel-cored
- Stripping thin wire without doing the maths
- Burning insulation off cable. Never do this. Burning releases harmful fumes, is unsafe and irresponsible, and the scorched copper is downgraded anyway.
- Skipping weight verification
- Accepting unclear pricing with no breakdown by grade
- Selling to an unverified buyer
- Leaving aluminium mixed with copper, which drags the lot toward aluminium rates
Why Choose MAB Scrap Metal?
MAB Scrap Metal buys electric wire and cable scrap across Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah, and the Eastern Province. We work with electrical contractors, AC companies, factories, demolition contractors, telecom firms, and individual sellers.
What you can expect:
- Free scrap evaluation before you commit to anything
- Competitive offers based on current copper market conditions
- Transparent grading, explained lot by lot
- Accurate weighing you can verify yourself
- Fast bulk collection from sites and warehouses
- Professional handling and responsible recycling of every load
Reach us at https://mabscrapmetal.com or call 0572188268 for a quote.
Comparison Table: Wire Types at a Glance
| Wire Type | Copper Content | Preparation Needed | Relative Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bare Bright Copper Wire | Very high | None | Very High |
| Clean Bare Copper Wire | Very high | Minimal | Very High |
| Thick Single-Core Insulated Wire | High | Optional stripping | High |
| Heavy Power Cable | High | Processing by buyer | High |
| Building Wire | Medium to high | Sorting | Medium |
| Multi-Core Cable | Medium | Sorting | Medium |
| AC / HVAC Cable | Medium | Sorting | Medium |
| Industrial Electrical Cable | Varies | Sorting and grading | Medium to High |
| Telecom Cable | Low | Sorting | Low |
| Data Cable (Cat5/Cat6) | Low | Sorting | Low |
| Mixed Thin Wire | Low | Separation | Low |
| Aluminium Electrical Wire | None (aluminium) | Keep separate | Low to Medium |
Get a Quote for Your Cable Scrap
Wherever you are in Saudi Arabia, get your cable graded properly before accepting an offer. MAB Scrap Metal provides free cable evaluation, transparent electric wire scrap pricing based on real grades and current market rates, accurate weighing, and bulk collection for contractors, factories, and commercial businesses. Send photos, and we will tell you honestly whether stripping is worth it.
Website: https://mabscrapmetal.com Phone: 0572188268
Frequently Asked Questions
Does bare copper wire pay more than insulated wire?
Yes. Bare, clean copper earns a higher rate per kilogram because the buyer does not need to remove insulation. Insulated wire is priced according to how much copper it contains.
How is the electric wire scrap price calculated?
Buyers assess copper content, recovery percentage, wire thickness, insulation type, cleanliness, total weight, and current copper market conditions. There is no single fixed rate across Saudi Arabia.
Is it worth stripping copper wire before selling?
Only sometimes. Stripping thick cable in quantity with proper equipment can pay off. For thin, mixed, or small quantities, the labour usually costs more than the extra value.
What is Bare Bright copper wire?
Bare Bright is the highest grade of copper wire scrap: clean, shiny, uncoated copper with no tarnish, paint, or solder, typically thicker than 1.6 mm.
Why does insulated wire have a lower price?
Part of its weight is plastic rather than copper, and the buyer must process the cable to recover the metal. Both factors reduce the value per kilogram.
How do buyers calculate copper recovery?
By estimating or measuring how much of the cable’s weight is copper. Some cut a sample, strip it, and weigh the conductor against the jacket.
Can I sell mixed electrical cables?
Yes, though mixed loads are priced at an average or lower grade. Sorting by type before selling almost always improves the total offer.
Do you buy aluminium electrical wire?
Yes. MAB Scrap Metal buys aluminium wire and cable at aluminium market rates. Keep it separate from copper so each metal is graded correctly.
Do you provide bulk cable collection in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. We collect bulk cable scrap from contractors, factories, demolition sites, and warehouses across KSA, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and the Eastern Province.
How can I get a quote for electric wire scrap?
Call MAB Scrap Metal on 0572188268 or visit https://mabscrapmetal.com. Describe your cable type and quantity, or send photos, and we will provide a free, transparent evaluation.