Medium voltage cable from 2 kV to 35 kV.

The conductor is covered by a thin semiconducting strand shield, then the insulation, then a semiconducting insulation shield. Those two layers are the reason medium voltage cable cannot be judged like building wire: nick the outer semi-con and the cable develops a stress point that will fail in service. A buyer looks at the cut end for a clean, square cut with the layers still concentric.

Over the insulation shield sits the metallic shield, either copper tape applied helically or a wire shield with a counter-helix. Tape shields are lighter and easier to handle; wire shields tolerate more flexing and are common on feeder and riser work. The jacket is the moisture barrier, and a split or chalky jacket matters more here than on a 600 V reel.

Every installed medium voltage cable is terminated at both ends, and the way it was terminated leaves a mark. A cable cut back neatly, with the semi-con step visible and the shield still bonded, is easier to re-terminate than one sawn off with a frayed tape shield. Photograph both ends before anything is coiled.

Moisture is the other end issue. An open end that stood in a vault or a wet duct wicks water under the jacket and along the shield, and the damage is not visible from outside. Ends that were capped, taped or heat-shrunk closed tell a buyer that somebody expected the cable to be used again.

Photograph cut ends square-on, in daylight, with the reel tag in frame. One clear image of the layers saves a site visit.

Factory test certificates, the after-installation test sheet and any maintenance records matter more on this class of cable than on any other. They say the insulation was sound when it was made, sound when it was energised and monitored since. Without them, a reel is reviewed as unknown condition however good the jacket looks.

The same paperwork answers the isolation question. A buyer needs to know the circuit was de-energised, locked out, proved dead and discharged before the cable was disconnected, and who confirmed it. A written isolation record and a named responsible person are what turn removed cable into material that can change hands. The medium voltage safety guide sets out the steps that come first.

Length comes from the tag first, then the wrap count, then weight against a known construction. Reels that have been re-reeled lose the factory length mark, and a buyer will measure rather than accept a guess. Drum condition matters too: a steel drum dragged across a yard may not survive a crane lift.

Reel trailers are the better method for anything still on a drum. A forklift lifting by the drum edge dents the flange and can spill the wrap, and a reel dropped from a height is a reel with a cracked jacket and a bent conductor. Ask for the loading method before the day.

• Keep the drum banded and the tag attached until the lot is reviewed.
• Say whether a crane, reel trailer or forklift is available on site.
• Note any reel that has stood outdoors, and for how long.
• Do not cut a long remainder into shorter pieces to make it easier to move.