#4 AWG Wire Buyers in Pennsylvania
Four gauge copper for 100 A feeders, service laterals and grounding, bought from Pennsylvania contractors and plant maintenance crews.
Number 4 AWG copper measures 0.2043 in across the bare conductor and about 41,740 circular mils in area. It carries 70 A at 60 degrees C, 85 A at 75 degrees C and 95 A at 90, which puts it squarely in the range of a 100 A feeder when the terminations and the load allow. It is the size where wire stops being a branch circuit and starts being distribution. It is also heavy enough that most of it moves on a reel rather than in a coil.
Four gauge also has a second life as grounding. A 200 A residential service commonly uses 4 AWG copper as its grounding electrode conductor, so the same reel that feeds a subpanel may also supply the ground. That dual use is one reason short lengths of 4 AWG stay valuable longer than short lengths of other feeder sizes. A service crew that keeps a coil of bare 4 AWG on the truck will use it eventually, and that keeps demand steady.
| Size | 4 AWG, 0.2043 in bare copper diameter, about 41,740 circular mils |
|---|---|
| Ampacity class | 70 A at 60 degrees C, 85 A at 75 degrees C and 95 A at 90 degrees C for copper |
| Construction | 7-strand copper standard, with compact stranded versions for tight conduit |
| Common insulations | THHN, THWN-2, XHHW-2, and bare for grounding electrode conductors |
| Standards | UL 83, UL 44, ASTM B8, 600 V class, green insulation for equipment grounds |
Where 4 AWG sits in a distribution system
A 100 A subpanel feeder is the classic application, and the ampacity columns explain why. At 75 degrees C the conductor carries 85 A, which covers a calculated load under 100 A only when the load calculation supports it. Designers often move to 2 AWG for a full 100 A feeder and keep 4 AWG for the smaller ones.
The conductor is stiff. Seven-strand 4 AWG pulls through 1 in conduit without much trouble, but tight bends need care, and a kink at a box connector is a common reason a pulled length gets cut out and scrapped.
- Common on 70 to 100 A feeders
- Stiff enough to kink at tight bends
- Compact stranded versions ease conduit fill
Where #4 is used in Pennsylvania
Subpanel feeders in shops, garages, additions and outbuildings account for most of it. Generator feeders and transfer switch connections use 4 AWG on smaller units. Rooftop equipment, large air handlers and commercial kitchen equipment also draw on it.
As a grounding conductor it appears on 200 A services, on transformer secondary bonding and on equipment grounding runs for large feeders. Plants use it for feeder taps and for bonding jumpers on skids and tanks. Because it serves both power and grounding, a single plant storeroom may hold three or four kinds of 4 AWG.
- Subpanel and outbuilding feeders
- Generator and transfer switch connections
- Grounding electrode conductors for 200 A services
- Equipment bonding on skids and tanks
What makes a 4 AWG lot resellable
Reels with a few hundred feet are the easiest. A 500 ft reel of 4 AWG THHN that is half used is still a useful feeder reel, and a 150 ft length covers a small subpanel. Below about 50 ft, the wire becomes a grounding or repair item rather than a feeder.
Bare 4 AWG is priced as a grounding product and often sells to service crews who need it for electrode conductors. Green-insulated 4 AWG serves the same crews for equipment grounding. Mixing bare and insulated on one pallet is fine if the two are separated.
- Half-used 500 ft reels are still useful
- Bare and green stock priced as grounding
- Short lengths move as repair material
Drag damage and print on 4 AWG reels
Four gauge is heavy enough that reels get dragged rather than carried, and dragging damages the outer wraps. Look for flattened insulation, exposed copper at the edge of a flange and rust stains from a steel reel. None of these ruin the whole reel, but the damaged section is cut off.
Identification is straightforward while the print survives. When it does not, measure the bare conductor and count the strands. Four AWG copper is 7-strand in standard construction, and the strand diameter confirms the size.
- Inspect the outer wrap for drag damage
- Check for rust staining from steel reels
- Confirm 7-strand construction and bare diameter
What to include with a 4 AWG feeder reel
Send a photo of the reel from the side, the tag and the cut end. Include the approximate footage and say whether the wire is bare, green or a phase color. For a feeder reel, the footage is the number that decides the offer.
Tell us the town and whether the reel can be moved with a pallet jack. A full 500 ft reel of 4 AWG is manageable for two people, but a pallet of them is not, and pickup planning depends on the answer.
- Reel face, tag and cut end
- Bare, green or phase color
- Footage and handling details
What we buy in this category
- 4 AWG THHN in black, red, white and green
- 4 AWG THWN-2 and XHHW-2 feeder reels
- Bare 4 AWG solid and stranded grounding conductor
- Green-insulated 4 AWG equipment ground
- Partial reels of 100 ft and up
- Generator and transfer switch cut lengths
- Compact stranded 4 AWG for conduit work
Selling #4 awg wire in Pennsylvania
Reels of #4 awg wire turn up from Philadelphia and the southeastern counties through the Lehigh Valley, and from Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley across to Harrisburg, Lancaster and York. Send the city or township with the photographs so pickup can be planned realistically.
#4 AWG Wire questions
What is #4 copper wire used for?
It serves 70 to 100 A feeders, subpanels, generator connections and large equipment circuits. It is also a common grounding electrode conductor for 200 A services, which keeps demand for short lengths steady. It is a common size on both sides of the meter.
Will #4 AWG carry 100 A?
It carries 85 A in the 75 degree column and 95 A at 90 degrees C, so a full 100 A feeder often moves up to 2 AWG. Where the calculated load and the termination ratings allow, 4 AWG is used on smaller feeders.
Do you buy bare 4 AWG?
Yes. Bare 4 AWG is a grounding product with steady demand from service crews. Clean coils with known gauge and weight are straightforward, and tarnish or green patina does not reduce the value. Weight and gauge are what we confirm.
How much footage is worth selling?
A reel with 150 ft or more is easy to place as feeder wire. Between 50 and 150 ft it is still reviewed, often as repair or grounding stock. Under 50 ft it is usually valued on copper content.
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Buying detailsHave surplus wire on the floor right now?
Send photographs of the reels, tags and jacket print. We will tell you what the material is worth as wire, not just as metal.