Romex Wire is worth $2.34 per lb today in the United States, ranking 11 of 12 copper grades, against $6.22 for bare bright copper at the top. That is 60 percent below the general copper scrap rate. Sheathed household cable at about 65 percent recovery.
Romex is non-metallic sheathed cable with two or three insulated conductors and a bare ground wire inside a flat outer jacket. It recovers about 65 percent copper by weight and is priced on that recovery. The outer jacket strips easily; the inner conductors are THHN-like and strip like THHN.
- Versus the general copper scrap rate-60%
- Change today+$0.03
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What Romex is
Romex is a brand name that has become the generic term for NM-B cable: the flat, usually white or yellow sheathed cable used for household circuits. Inside the sheath sit two or three insulated conductors plus a bare copper ground.
The outer jacket and the paper filler add weight without adding copper, which is why Romex recovers less than THHN despite having similar conductors inside. Published figures put it at about 65 percent.
Where Romex comes from
Renovation and demolition supply almost all of it. A house rewire yields a surprising quantity, and the house copper page shows where it sits. Electricians accumulate offcuts by the reel.
The two-stage strip
Romex is unusual in that stripping it is a two-step decision.
Stage one: the outer jacket. This comes off fast with a stripper or even a knife, and it removes the paper filler too. What remains is three THHN-like conductors and a bare ground. Recovery jumps from 65 percent to roughly THHN's 75.
Stage two: the inner conductors. These strip like THHN, which means fast on heavy gauge and slow on 14 and 12 gauge. Most household Romex is 14 or 12.
So the practical answer for most people: strip the outer jacket, sell the inner conductors as THHN, and pull the bare ground out to sell as number 2 or bare bright depending on gauge. The stripping analysis puts the break-even near 48 percent, so both stages pay in arithmetic, but stage two is slow.
The ground wire
Worth a line, because it is free copper people throw away.
Every length of Romex carries a bare copper ground. On 12 gauge cable that is 12 gauge bare copper, which is number 2 by the 16 gauge rule but clean and uncoated. Pull it out as you strip the jacket and keep it separate.
Romex against THHN
They are often confused because the inner conductors are similar. The difference is the sheath. THHN recovers 75 percent, Romex 65, and the ten-point gap is the jacket and paper.
Mixed together, the lot is paid at Romex recovery or lower. Keep them apart. The THHN page covers the single-conductor grade.
Getting the Romex price
Sell it as Romex, not as mixed insulated. A yard quoting one flat rate for all insulated wire is under-paying Romex.
Consider stripping the jacket. It is fast and lifts recovery ten points.
Pull the ground. Free clean copper.
Cut off boxes and clamps. Steel staples and cable clamps drag a lot toward irony.
Measure recovery on a sample. Cut, weigh, strip, weigh, divide. Two minutes.
Romex Wire prices around the world
| Market | Currency | Price | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | USD | $2.34 / lb | ▲ +1.30% |
| Canada | CAD | C$3.14 / lb | ▲ +1.30% |
| United Kingdom | GBP | £3.66 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Australia | AUD | A$6.80 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Germany | EUR | €4.53 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| France | EUR | €4.44 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Italy | EUR | €4.58 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Spain | EUR | €4.44 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Netherlands | EUR | €4.44 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Belgium | EUR | €4.49 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| China | CNY | CN¥33.97 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Japan | JPY | ¥782 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| South Korea | KRW | ₩6,808 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| India | INR | ₹449 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Bangladesh | BDT | ৳558 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Pakistan | PKR | Rs 1,232 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| UAE | AED | AED 18.00 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Saudi Arabia | SAR | SAR 17.99 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Turkey | TRY | ₺260.00 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| South Africa | ZAR | R 69.97 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Ireland | EUR | €4.31 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Singapore | SGD | S$6.21 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
| Kenya | KES | KSh 561 / kg | ▲ +1.30% |
Where romex wire comes from, market by market
| City | Market | What moves there |
|---|---|---|
| New York | United States | Renovation copper pipe cut to number 1, and brass plumbing fixtures |
| Miami | United States | Copper pipe and wire from renovation work |
| London | United Kingdom | Brass fittings and mixed brass from renovation |
| Manchester | United Kingdom | Copper and brass from rewires and plumbing, graded finely |
| Glasgow | United Kingdom | Cast iron radiators and railings from renovation |
| Cape Town | South Africa | Copper and cable from electrical and renovation work |
| Toronto | Canada | Renovation copper and wire from the condo trades |
| Montreal | Canada | Renovation copper, brass and radiators from the plex trades |
If you are deciding whether to strip this material yourself, the wire stripping machine guide works out which tier of machine your monthly volume justifies, using these live rates.
| Bare Bright Copper | $6.22 / lb |
|---|---|
| Number 1 Copper | $5.95 / lb |
| Number 2 Copper | $5.48 / lb |
| Light Copper | $4.41 / lb |
| Tinned Copper | $5.35 / lb |
| Irony Copper | $3.68 / lb |
| THHN Wire | $2.67 / lb |
| Communication Wire | $1.74 / lb |
| Copper Pipe and Tubing | $5.81 / lb |
| Copper Roofing and Sheet | $4.41 / lb |
| Copper Bus Bar | $6.01 / lb |
Questions people actually ask
What is the Romex wire scrap price today?
The live figure is at the top of this page. It is priced on about 65 percent copper recovery, below THHN and above communication wire.
Why does Romex recover less than THHN?
The outer sheath and paper filler add weight without copper. Strip the jacket and the inner conductors recover like THHN.
Is it worth stripping Romex?
The outer jacket, yes, since it is fast and lifts recovery ten points. The inner conductors depend on gauge; 14 and 12 gauge are slow by hand.
What about the bare ground wire?
Pull it out and keep it separate. It is clean bare copper, number 2 by gauge on household cable, and often thrown away.
Does yellow Romex differ from white?
Only in gauge. Yellow is 12 gauge, white is 14. Both recover about the same.
Can I mix Romex with THHN?
You can, but the lot will be paid at the lower recovery. Keep them separate.
Do staples and clamps matter?
Yes. Steel staples left on a bundle invite an irony deduction. Pull them.
What is stripped Romex worth?
The inner conductors sell as THHN or, fully stripped, as number 2 by gauge. The ground is number 2. Heavy Romex feeders strip to bare bright.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Romex wire scrap price today?
The live figure is at the top of this page. It is priced on about 65 percent copper recovery, which places it below THHN and above communication wire.
Why does Romex recover less copper than THHN?
The outer sheath and paper filler add weight without adding copper. Strip the outer jacket and the inner conductors recover at roughly THHN's 75 percent.
Is it worth stripping Romex?
The outer jacket, yes. It comes off fast and lifts recovery about ten points. The inner conductors depend on gauge, and household 14 and 12 gauge are slow to strip by hand.
What should I do with the bare ground wire?
Pull it out as you strip the jacket and keep it separate. It is clean bare copper, number 2 by the 16 gauge rule on household cable, and it is frequently thrown away with the sheath.
Does yellow Romex pay differently from white?
Only through gauge. Yellow is 12 gauge and white is 14, so yellow carries slightly more copper per foot. Both recover about the same percentage.
Can I mix Romex with THHN in one lot?
You can, but the lot will be paid at the lower recovery figure. Keep them in separate containers and present them as separate lots.
Do staples and cable clamps affect the price?
Yes. Steel staples and clamps left on a bundle invite an irony deduction. Pull them before weighing.
What is fully stripped Romex worth?
The inner conductors sell as THHN, or fully stripped as number 2 by gauge. The ground is number 2. Heavy Romex feeder cable strips to bare bright.