USE-2 Cable Buyers in Pennsylvania

USE-2 is a single conductor underground service entrance cable, listed to UL 854 and rated 600 V with a 90 C wet rating. The insulation is tough enough for direct burial without conduit, and most constructions are also marked RHH or RHW-2, sunlight resistant, and acceptable in wet locations. That combination makes it the default choice for running power from a meter to a barn, a pump house or a detached garage. It is one of the few products that can be buried with no raceway at all.

Surplus USE-2 is usually aluminum, in sizes from 2 AWG to 4/0, sold in coils of 100 to 500 ft or on small reels. Copper USE-2 appears in smaller sizes and in grounding and bonding work. Because the cable is inexpensive per foot compared with conduit and wire, the leftovers are often short, and the quote depends heavily on whether a length is long enough to be useful. Most coils we see are 100 to 250 ft, and that is enough to matter.

Construction	Single conductor with a heavy moisture resistant insulation and jacket, no overall armor
Conductors	Aluminum or copper, 8 AWG through 1000 kcmil, stranded
Insulation	XLPE or RHW-2 compound, sunlight resistant, rated for direct burial and wet locations
Voltage and temperature	600 V; 90 C dry and 90 C wet in most RHW-2 and USE-2 constructions
Standards	UL 854 and NEC Article 338; often dual marked RHH/RHW-2 under UL 44

What USE-2 cable is

The letters describe the application: underground service entrance, second generation. It is a single conductor, so a service run uses two or three of them plus a ground. The insulation is thick and moisture resistant, and the listing permits direct burial at the depths the code requires, typically 24 inches for a residential service in earth.

USE-2 is often confused with URD, and the two overlap in practice. URD describes a utility distribution assembly, usually triplex or quad, while USE-2 is a single conductor with a specific listing. Many URD conductors carry USE-2 print. A seller who reads the jacket will usually find both designations on the same cable.

• Single conductor, direct burial rated
• Commonly dual marked RHH/RHW-2
• 90 C wet rating in most constructions
• Frequently used as the conductors inside URD assemblies

Where Pennsylvania sellers use USE-2 cable

Farm and rural service work accounts for much of it. A barn, a well pump, a gate or a detached shop is fed with USE-2 because trenching is cheaper than conduit and the inspection is straightforward. Contractors in agricultural counties buy 500 ft coils and often finish with a few hundred feet left.

Subdivisions, campgrounds and marinas use it for pedestals and branch services. Solar installers use single conductor USE-2 or its photovoltaic counterpart for underground direct current runs, and those jobs leave partial coils as well. Utilities and their contractors use it for temporary services and street lighting taps.

What makes USE-2 cable resellable

Length is the deciding factor. A 250 or 500 ft coil of 2/0 aluminum USE-2 is useful to almost any rural contractor, while a 25 ft piece is only good for a short tap. Copper in 4 AWG and 2 AWG holds value because the metal content is high and the sizes are common for grounding and small services.

Insulation condition matters more than jacket appearance, since the cable is meant to be buried. A coil with nicks, ring cuts or flattened sections may fail a megohm test after installation, and buyers know it. Clean, round, unmarked cable with legible print brings the best price, especially when the coil is still banded.

• 2/0 and 4/0 aluminum coils over 100 ft
• Copper USE-2 in 4 AWG through 1/0
• Banded factory coils with print
• Dual rated RHH/RHW-2 constructions

Condition, storage and identification

USE-2 survives weather better than most cable, which is why it is often stored outdoors without harm. The risks are mechanical. A coil dropped on gravel picks up cuts, and a coil stored under a leaking gutter can grow a layer of algae that hides those cuts. Sunlight eventually hardens the surface, though the insulation beneath usually stays sound.

The print is the identification. It normally carries the manufacturer, the size, the voltage, the temperature rating and the dual listings, and it repeats every few feet. If the outer wraps are scuffed, unroll a turn or two to find a clean section. Coil tags and purchase records fill in the size when the print has worn away.

What to send for a quote

Send a photo of the print, the coil tag and the coil itself, plus the size and metal for each item. Tell us the length of each coil and whether it is banded. If a coil has visible damage, photograph that area, because it is better to discuss the cutback before the quote than after.

We quote after reviewing the lot, then schedule pickup if the figure works for you. Coils of 4/0 aluminum are heavy enough to need equipment, while smaller copper coils can be carried. Let us know what is available at the site so the truck matches the load.

• Jacket print with size and dual ratings
• Coil tag or purchase record
• Metal type and conductor size
• Length per coil and banding
• Visible damage and site access

What we buy in this category

• 2/0 and 4/0 aluminum USE-2 coils
• Copper USE-2 from 4 AWG through 1/0
• 500 ft factory coils with legible print
• Dual rated RHH/RHW-2 single conductors
• Farm and well service cable remnants
• Solar and street lighting direct burial runs
• Partial coils over 50 ft
• Weathered coils for review

Selling use-2 cable in Pennsylvania

Most use-2 cable we review comes from plants and contractors in the southeast, the Pittsburgh region and the central counties, with smaller lots from Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Erie and the northern tier. Tell us where the material sits and we will confirm coverage.

• Philadelphia
• Norristown
• King of Prussia
• Pottstown
• Lansdale
• Abington
• Cheltenham
• Lower Merion