Category 07 · control & signal
We buy control and instrumentation cable
Multiconductor control cable, shielded instrument pairs, network cable and coax — small conductor, long runs, frequent leftovers.
The cable between the controller and the process
Control cable carries switching and status signals between panels and equipment. Instrumentation cable carries low-level analogue signals, usually in twisted pairs with an overall or individual shield. Communication cable covers network, serial and coax runs.
Typical surplus constructions include 18 AWG and 16 AWG multiconductor control cable with numbered conductors, 2-pair and 4-pair shielded instrument cable, Cat 5e and Cat 6 network cable in boxes, and RG-6 or RG-11 coax on spools.
These cables are bought in 250-foot, 500-foot and 1,000-foot put-ups, often with most of the length remaining. Boxed network cable that was opened for one run is the single most common item.
Shielding, pairing and conductor count
Control and instrument cable is specified by construction, not just gauge. Two 18 AWG cables can differ in conductor count, shielding, drain wire, pair arrangement and jacket material, and the application depends on all of it.
- Conductor count: 2/C through 25/C and beyond, often with numbered or color-coded conductors.
- Shielding: overall foil, braided, or individually shielded pairs for analogue signals.
- Pairing: twisted pairs versus straight lay, which changes crosstalk performance.
- Jacket and rating: PVC, plenum, tray-rated, sunlight-resistant or direct-burial.
- Network category: Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 6A, shielded or unshielded.
If the print is legible, photograph it. A part number from the tag or box is even better, because it resolves the construction without guesswork.
Where this cable accumulates
Integrators, panel shops, water and wastewater contractors, mills, food plants, data centers and university research buildings all buy instrumentation cable in quantities larger than a single job needs. A panel shop may hold dozens of partial spools of different conductor counts.
Data centre and network work leaves boxes of Cat 6 and patch cable reels. This page covers the copper side: Cat 5e, Cat 6 and coax, quoted from the box label and the remaining length.
List each spool separately with its part number and remaining length. For a panel shop, a spreadsheet is easier than a form submission.
Send control cable details
Part number, conductor count, gauge, shielding, length remaining and number of spools.
Control and instrumentation questions
Do you buy Cat 5e and Cat 6 boxes?
Yes, opened or unopened, in copper network cable. Fibre optic cable is not part of our buying scope.
Do you buy shielded instrument cable?
Yes, including individually shielded pairs and overall-shielded multiconductor cable. Shielding type should be noted or photographed.
What about fire alarm and plenum cable?
Those have their own page — see fire alarm and low-voltage cable. Plenum-rated control cable is also bought.
Can you buy a mixed lot of partial spools?
Yes, but list each spool with its part number and approximate remaining length. A single blended number for a mixed rack is rarely accurate.
Panel shop with shelves of partials?
Send a spreadsheet. We will work through it item by item.
Keep reading
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- Wire sizes we buyReference
- Who we buy fromSeller guide
- BirminghamJefferson County
- HuntsvilleMadison County
- MobileMobile County