Low Voltage Cable Buyers in Pennsylvania
Low voltage cable from Pennsylvania contractors and integrators, reviewed on gauge, jacket and circuit class.
Low voltage cable covers circuits that operate below the levels associated with building power, from landscape lighting at 12 or 24 V to thermostat control, LED drivers, irrigation valves and access control. Insulation is often rated 300 V even though the circuit runs at a fraction of that, because the rating describes the cable rather than the application. Sizes are small, usually 22 AWG through 10 AWG. Sizes are small, usually 22 AWG through 10 AWG, and much of it is sold in coils rather than on reels.
The category reaches the surplus market through landscape contractors, security and audio visual integrators, and electrical contractors who install lighting controls. Coils of 12/2 landscape cable, boxes of 18/5 thermostat wire and spools of 16/2 speaker cable are all typical. Because the material is inexpensive and compact, it tends to be boxed up and forgotten rather than sold, which makes a shop cleanout a good source. Municipal irrigation panels and campus site lighting add smaller quantities of the same products.
| Constructions | Single and multiconductor cable, twisted pairs, and direct burial landscape cable in coil form |
|---|---|
| Conductors | Stranded or solid copper, 22 AWG through 10 AWG, with 18, 16 and 14 AWG most common |
| Insulation and jacket | PVC, PE or rubber, often sunlight resistant and direct burial rated for landscape use |
| Voltage | Circuits under 50 V under NEC Article 720, with 300 V insulation common on the cable itself |
| Standards | NEC Articles 720, 725 and 411, with UL listings for Class 2 and Class 3 cable and CL2 or CL3 markings |
What low voltage cable includes
The term is used loosely in the trade, and it covers several distinct products. Landscape lighting cable is a two conductor direct burial cable, usually 12 or 10 AWG, run from a transformer to fixtures. Class 2 and Class 3 cable, marked CL2 or CL3, serves thermostats, doorbells, speakers and sensors. LED strip and driver cable is often 18 or 16 AWG with a flexible jacket. Irrigation and access control cable adds more conductor counts.
What they share is small conductors and low current. What they do not share is a listing. A landscape cable rated for direct burial cannot necessarily be run in a plenum, and a CL2 cable may not be suitable for a wet location. The print on the jacket resolves the question, and it is the first thing we ask a seller to photograph.
- Landscape lighting cable in 12/2 and 10/2
- CL2 and CL3 cable for thermostats and speakers
- LED and driver cable in 18 and 16 AWG
- Irrigation valve and access control cable
Where Pennsylvania sellers use low voltage cable
Landscape contractors are the largest source. A lighting installation buys 500 ft coils and often finishes with a partial coil, which is kept for the next job and then forgotten. Electrical contractors installing lighting controls hold 18 and 16 AWG control cable in several conductor counts, usually in boxes rather than on reels.
Security, audio visual and network integrators carry CL2 and CL3 cable in many configurations, and a completed project often leaves boxes that no longer match their standard. Municipalities and campuses use low voltage cable for irrigation control and site lighting. Because the material is cheap per foot, it accumulates quietly until a storage room is cleaned out.
What makes low voltage cable resellable
Gauge and conductor count decide the price, and the range is wide. A sealed 500 ft coil of 12/2 direct burial landscape cable is a genuine stock item for any landscape contractor. A partial box of 22/4 alarm wire is close to copper value. Two conductor 16 and 18 AWG cable in long lengths sits in the middle and sells steadily.
The listing matters more than sellers expect. Cable marked CL2, CL3, CL2P or direct burial can be installed in specific locations, and a buyer needs that marking. A coil with no print may be perfectly good copper but cannot be sold as Class 2 cable, so it is priced as unknown.
- Sealed 500 ft coils of 12/2 landscape cable
- CL3 cable in long lengths
- Thermostat cable in 18/5 and 18/8
- Direct burial rated jacket
Condition, storage and identification
Small cable is easily damaged and easily mislaid. A coil that has been on a truck floor for a year may have a flattened jacket and crushed conductors, and thin insulation cuts through at a staple or a zip tie. Landscape cable that was buried and then dug up is usually not worth reusing, since the jacket is abraded along its length.
Identification depends on the print, which gives the gauge, conductor count, voltage and listing. Box labels add footage. Where the print is gone, the conductor count and jacket diameter narrow it down, but the listing cannot be confirmed, and that limits what a buyer will pay.
What to send for a quote
Send photos of the jacket print and the coil or box label, with the gauge, conductor count and length for each item. If a lot has several products, group them by type before photographing, since landscape cable and Class 2 cable sell to different buyers.
After the review we send a quote, and the lot can be shipped or picked up. Low voltage cable is light and ships easily, so small lots are practical, and a boxed lot can usually be quoted from photographs without a site visit.
- Jacket print showing listing
- Coil or box label with footage
- Gauge and conductor count
- Grouping by product type
- How the lot is packed
What we buy in this category
- 12/2 and 10/2 direct burial landscape cable
- CL2 and CL3 cable in 16 and 18 AWG
- Thermostat and sensor cable in 18/5 and 18/8
- LED and driver cable in long coils
- Irrigation and access control cable in 18 and 16 AWG
- Sealed factory coils and boxes
- Leftover cable from landscape projects
- Mixed low voltage lots for sorting
Selling low voltage cable in Pennsylvania
From the Route 202 corridor to the Mon Valley and the I-81 warehouse belt, low voltage cable is stored in shops and yards all over the state. Send the city or township, the access details and the photographs, and the pickup can be planned against the real site.
Low Voltage Cable questions
What counts as low voltage cable?
In practice, cable for circuits under 50 V, covered by NEC Article 720, along with Class 2 and Class 3 cable under Article 725. Landscape lighting, thermostats, speakers and sensors all fall into the group.
Do you buy landscape lighting cable?
Yes, especially 12/2 and 10/2 direct burial cable in sealed or mostly full coils. Cable that was buried and removed is reviewed for jacket abrasion and is usually valued on copper content. Cable that was buried and removed is reviewed for jacket abrasion and is usually valued on copper content rather than as usable stock.
Is CL2 cable the same as CL3?
Both are Class 2 or Class 3 cable listings, but CL3 covers higher voltage and power limits. The print states which one applies, and a buyer will check before installing in a specific location. The print states which one applies, and a buyer will check before installing in a specific location such as a plenum or a wet area.
Can low voltage cable be sold by weight?
Small gauge cable with no marking is often valued close to copper content, so weight is a reasonable basis. Marked cable in long lengths is worth more as cable, and we quote it that way when the print is readable.
Other wire and cable we buy
Communication Cable
Sell surplus communication cable in Pennsylvania.
Buying detailsFire Alarm Cable
Sell surplus fire alarm cable in Pennsylvania.
Buying detailsControl Cable
Sell surplus control cable in Pennsylvania.
Buying detailsSOOW Cable
Sell surplus soow cable in Pennsylvania.
Buying details#10 AWG Wire
Sell surplus #10 awg wire in Pennsylvania.
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.