With the wide variety of electrical applications in today’s world, there are quite a number of different grades of insulated wire. It is the weight of the copper, or aluminum, recovered from the wire, less the cost of removing it, which will determine how the wire is valued at market price for the metal. Some common forms of insulated wire are:

Number 1 Insulated Wire
Copper wire that is at least 16 gauge with no coating on the copper wire such as laquer, shellac or tin.

Number 2 Insulated Wire
Copper wire that is less than 16 gauge or has a tinned, laquered or shellac coating.

Communications Wire
Plastic outer casing with number 2 insulated wires inside.

Bx
Aluminum outer casing with Number 1 insulated wires inside.

House Wire
Plastic outer casing with number 1 Romex insulated wires inside.

Tek Cable
Plastic outer casing over aluminum armour with cables of number 1 insulated wire inside. The insulated wire may be of various sizes.

Coreflex
Plastic outer casing over aluminum armour, inside of which, is another plastic casing with copper at the centre. The copper may be of various sizes.