What type of wire is this and how to scrap?

Like this?



Take an angle grinder to the steel casing. I highly recommend a vice to hold it so you don't lose a finger. Idk what it's called. Came off a furnace. Yes remove casing, yes remove wires, yes strip wires.

P.S. Then you should introduce yourself to the forum.

Welcome.

It is BX cable (Flexible metallic sheathed flexible cable)
Some have steel casing, some have aluminum casing.



You can sell it to your yard as-is, or break it down.
Do the math and see if it is worth it to you.
You can cut it into short lengths, and pull out the wire by clamping into your bench vice and pulling on the sheathing.
Some comes out easier than others.
... according to spin, anyway

Originally Posted by turtlejuice

I have somewhere between 50-100lbs of this wiring. It has 2 coated copper wires inside then what might be a wire of aluminum that has no encasing. No magnet will stick to this part. Then it also has the outside spiral encasing made of some type of metal and a magnet will stick to it. My first question is what is this called and what type of metal would it go as if scrapped as is? Would it be better to strip out the copper wires? If so should I only strip the copper wireing down to the encasing or strip it down to straight copper? Any info and help is appreciated. I have been reading on this for a few days so I have done some research but I want to ensure I'm optimizing my return. I tried to upload and link a pic and neither will let me since i'm new i belive so if someone wants it in a message to post for me that would be great!

If you have that much of it, sell it by the foot to electricians. I would think 50-100 pounds of it, you have 50 to 100 feet at least. I am not quite sure the going rate, but I bet an electrician would jump at the chance to pick up BX 12? 14? with a ground at $2-3 a foot. It would also be very useful wiring a shed or shop. That is exactly the wire you would need to pull through wall unshielded (the flex cover is the shielding required). I would not scrap that wire, I would list it on CL or ask a buddy if they needed it.

Most electricians will not chance a customer job not knowing if the wire has a short (or rub thru) spot in it. A short could be deadly. I'd strip it down and the sheath could go into your steel pile and strip the inner wire and sell to the yard as clean #1 or Bare Bright. (depending on your yard). Usually only about a dime's difference between #1 and BB.

Had a bit of it last trip, it was sold a copper bearing. 10 cents a pound. Won't sell anymore like that. Will at least remove the steel or pull it out.

The AL sheathed one, I got 1.19 a pound.

sometimes the wire will pull out easily and sometimes its a royal pain. it should sell for about the same as electric motors if you sell it whole

I used to eat those funny mushrooms back in HS and college. Until I had a bad experience with them.

Now I am a mushroom. Kept in the dark and fed bullsh!t as they say.

Okay. Ten foot lengths are not gonna sell on CL. 14 wire will bend fairly easily, 12 will be stiffer to bend. Try to bend about a 1/2" end into a loop. If it can be done fairly easily with your fingers, it is 14. If you cut your finger, it is probably 12.

To remove the wire (not gonna be easy-easy), the easiest way is to clamp the WIRE in a vise and pull the wire sheaf off. If you twist the sheaf one way, it will loosen on the wire. Turn it against the spiral of the twist. Wear gloves! It is likely the jacket will start to unwind. Once that happens, the jacket will just unravel from the wire.... or the jacket will just slide off the wire (if you are lucky). Stripping the insulation off the copper should be the more difficult of the two jobs.

Its called steel BX wire. Metal armored cable.

Can you post pics yet turtle? Someone can help you ID it if you have a pic. Probably copper like scrappinlife said.copper can be kind of a dark color also if it is old and tarnished. Aluminum will be silver in color. Cut into it or snip a little off andbsee what color it is inside.