Armored Cable Buyers in Pennsylvania
Armored cable of every type from Pennsylvania sites, sorted by armor construction and grounding method.
Armored cable is the broad family of products with a metallic covering over insulated conductors, and the covering does two jobs: physical protection and, in some types, the equipment ground. The family includes Type AC with its interlocked armor and bonding strip, Type MC with interlocked or corrugated armor and a separate ground, and continuous corrugated and welded armor used in hazardous locations. Teck style cable, common in Canada, belongs here as well. Teck style cable, common in Canada, belongs here as well, since it is an armored construction with a protective jacket.
Because the types look similar from the outside, a lot described simply as armored cable needs to be sorted before it can be priced. The armor shape, the presence of a green conductor and the print on the conductors separate a reel worth full cable value from one that is closer to metal value. Pennsylvania contractors and plants hold all of these types, often on the same shelf, which is why a single pallet can contain three different products.
| Types | Type AC with bonding strip, Type MC with interlocked or corrugated armor, and continuous welded armor for hazardous locations |
|---|---|
| Conductors | Stranded copper, 14 AWG through 1000 kcmil, with two to four circuit conductors plus a ground in MC |
| Armor | Aluminum or galvanized steel, interlocked tape or continuous corrugated tube |
| Voltage and temperature | 600 V for AC and MC; conductors commonly rated 90 C dry |
| Standards | UL 4 for Type AC, UL 1569 for Type MC, and NEC Articles 320 and 330 |
What armored cable includes
Type AC uses an interlocked armor with an internal aluminum bonding strip that makes the armor a ground path. Type MC uses interlocked armor as well, but includes a full size insulated grounding conductor, so the armor is mechanical protection only. Continuous corrugated armor, often welded, appears in MC-HL and similar products for classified areas, where the armor is a gas tight barrier.
The practical difference is the ground. An armored cable with a green conductor is MC or HCF. One without a green conductor, but with a thin aluminum strip inside the armor, is Type AC. A cable with a smooth corrugated tube and a plastic jacket over it is likely a Teck or MC-HL construction. The print resolves any doubt.
- Interlocked armor with bonding strip means Type AC
- Interlocked armor with a green ground means Type MC
- Corrugated welded armor serves hazardous locations
- Teck style cable adds a protective jacket over the armor
Where Pennsylvania sellers use armored cable
Commercial and institutional work accounts for most of it. Hospitals, schools and office buildings use MC for branch power above ceilings and in mechanical rooms. Older buildings under renovation still contain Type AC, and contractors matching existing work keep coils on hand. Parking structures and stadiums use armored cable where conduit would be slow to install.
Industrial sites use the corrugated and hazardous location versions for areas where gas or dust is present. Food plants use armored cable in washdown areas where a jacketed cable would not survive. Contractors working on wastewater treatment and fuel terminals also buy the heavier armored products, and leftover reels from those jobs are worth identifying precisely.
What makes armored cable resellable
Type and size decide the price. A sealed reel of 12/2 MC with ground is a commodity that any contractor can use. The same size in Type AC sells to a smaller group, because fewer jobs specify it. Corrugated MC-HL is a specialty product that commands a premium when the print and tag are intact, since replacement reels are expensive and lead times can be long.
Armor condition is the second factor. Dented interlocked armor is difficult to pull and may have damaged the conductors inside, while a crushed corrugated tube usually means the cable is unusable. Clean, round armor with an intact jacket, a legible print and a factory tag is what a buyer wants to see in a photograph.
- 12/2 and 12/3 metal-clad branch reels
- Type AC coils for renovation work
- MC-HL corrugated armor reels
- Teck style cable with intact jacket
Condition, storage and identification
Armor hides problems, which is why buyers ask for cut end photos. Steel armor rusts when a reel sits on a damp floor, and rust at the interlock weakens both the mechanical protection and, in Type AC, the ground path. Aluminum armor does not rust but dents easily. A reel that has been stacked under heavier reels often has a flattened section that has to be cut out.
Identification starts with the print on the conductors, visible at a cut end, and continues with any print on the armor tape and the reel tag. The presence or absence of a green conductor is the single most useful clue. Where the cable is unmarked and the end is not exposed, we ask for a short sample before quoting.
What to send for a quote
Send a photo of the reel tag, the armor print and the cut end with the conductors exposed. State the size, the conductor count and whether a green ground is present, since that identifies the type. If a lot contains several armor types, separate them before photographing.
After reviewing the inventory we send a quote, and a pickup is scheduled if you accept it. Armored cable is heavy for its diameter, so tell us the reel size and weight and whether the site has a forklift. Coils can be handled by hand in the smaller branch sizes.
- Armor print and reel tag
- Cut end showing conductors and ground
- Size, conductor count and type
- Sorting by armor construction
- Reel weight and loading access
What we buy in this category
- Metal-clad branch cable in 12/2 and 12/3, boxed or reeled
- Type AC coils in 14/2 and 12/2
- MC-HL corrugated armor cable
- Teck style armored cable with jacket
- HCF health care armored cable
- Armored feeder cable from 1/0 through 500 kcmil
- Partial reels from hospital and school work
- Mixed armor types for sorting
Selling armored cable in Pennsylvania
armored cable arrives from job sites, warehouses and maintenance rooms across all 67 counties. Whether the reels are in Bucks County or Beaver County changes the logistics, not the review, so include the address when you send photographs.
Armored Cable questions
How can I tell Type AC from Type MC?
Look at the cut end. MC has a full size insulated green grounding conductor, while Type AC has no green wire and relies on the armor plus an internal aluminum bonding strip for the ground path.
Do you buy armored cable with a damaged jacket?
Yes. Damage to the outer jacket on a Teck style cable is assessed separately from damage to the armor itself. Cable with crushed armor is usually cut back, and the remaining footage is quoted. Cable with crushed armor is usually cut back, and the remaining footage is quoted on its own.
What is MC-HL cable used for?
Hazardous locations, where a continuous corrugated and welded armor provides a gas tight barrier. It is a specialty product, and a sealed reel with legible print carries a premium over standard MC. A sealed reel with legible print carries a premium over standard MC, and buyers ask for the listing before committing.
Is armored cable the same as BX?
BX is the trade name for Type AC, which is one member of the family. The term also covers Type MC and the corrugated products, so a lot described as armored cable may contain several different listings that need sorting.
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Send photographs of the reels, tags and jacket print. We will tell you what the material is worth as wire, not just as metal.