Seller guide · Louisiana
Estimating cable footage from weight
Weight gives you a number when the tag does not. It is an estimate, and knowing how rough an estimate it is matters as much as the arithmetic.
Guide 01
Every cable lot eventually reaches the same question: how much is on the reel? If the tag is gone, weighing is the practical answer. It works because the conductor dominates the mass, and conductor weights per thousand feet are published for every size.
The method
Weigh the loaded reel, subtract the empty reel weight, then divide the net cable weight by the conductor weight per foot and allow for insulation and jacket. For most power cable the insulation and jacket add roughly fifteen to thirty per cent to the conductor weight, depending on voltage class and construction.
- Net cable weight = loaded reel minus reel tare.
- Conductor weight = net cable weight ÷ (1 + jacket allowance).
- Footage = conductor weight ÷ conductor weight per foot.
Conductor weight per 1,000 feet
| 12 AWG copper | ≈ 20 lb |
|---|---|
| 10 AWG copper | ≈ 31 lb |
| 8 AWG copper | ≈ 50 lb |
| 6 AWG copper | ≈ 79 lb |
| 4 AWG copper | ≈ 126 lb |
| 2 AWG copper | ≈ 200 lb |
| 1/0 AWG copper | ≈ 319 lb |
| 2/0 AWG copper | ≈ 402 lb |
| 4/0 AWG copper | ≈ 640 lb |
| 250 kcmil copper | ≈ 758 lb |
| 500 kcmil copper | ≈ 1,516 lb |
| 750 kcmil copper | ≈ 2,274 lb |
| 1000 kcmil copper | ≈ 3,032 lb |
Aluminium is roughly half the weight of copper for the same ampacity but only about thirty per cent of the weight for the same circular mil area. If the conductor is aluminium, use an aluminium table rather than halving a copper one.
Where the method fails
Three things make a weight estimate unreliable, and all three are common in Louisiana stores.
- Water in the cable. A reel that has stood outdoors can hold significant water, which reads as cable weight.
- Steel or timber reels of unknown tare. Weigh an empty reel of the same type, or accept a wide margin.
- Mixed reels. A reel that has been re-spooled with two constructions cannot be estimated at all.
A weight estimate is a starting point for a conversation, not a substitute for a measurement. If the lot matters, measure the wraps and the circumference and compare the two answers.
Start here 01
Have a lot that matches this guide?
Send the construction, the quantity and the storage. If the tag is gone, say so and send a photograph of the print instead.
- One desk for the whole state
- Buyers, not sellers
- No obligation before written terms
Photographs of reel tags and jacket print can follow by text to 614-715-3047 or email to saleselectricalbuyers@gmail.com.
Send the lot details
Six details are enough to start.
Questions —
Questions this guide raises
How accurate is a weight estimate?
Within about ten to fifteen per cent on a clean, single-construction reel with a known tare. Much worse on a wet or mixed reel.
Can I weigh a reel on a truck scale?
Yes, and it is often the easiest route: weigh the loaded truck, unload, weigh again. Note both weights and the reel count.
Does jacket weight matter much?
It matters more at higher voltage classes, where insulation and shielding are thicker. On 600 V building wire the allowance is smaller.
Next step —
Ready to have a lot reviewed?
Send the construction, the quantity and where the material sits. A buyer replies with questions or an offer basis.
Request a wire quote
A buyer reviews the lot and replies with questions or an offer basis.