Townlec Auto Electrical
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On the shelf in Townsville

REDARC. Australian-engineered electrical.

REDARC is Australian-made in-vehicle electrical — designed, engineered and manufactured at Lonsdale in South Australia — and it is the gear we reach for on the jobs that have to keep working — BCDC dual battery chargers, Manager Alpha battery management, VRM trailer light reducers, TIM06 timer relays and the HBA1224 handbrake alarm. Tow-Pro Elite brake controllers, pure sine wave inverters and solar sit alongside them. It is on the shelf at the Townsville workshop, and we fit it as well as sell it.

Our position

REDARC have been designing, developing and manufacturing this gear for over 45 years by their own account, and the range is deep enough that a job can be specified properly rather than approximated.

What we carry

The REDARC range, and what each part is for.

BCDC dual battery chargers

The core of a touring or work build. The 12V range runs from the compact BCDC1206 at 6A through the BCDC1220 at 20A, the BCDC1225D at 25A and the BCDC1240D at 40A, up to the BCDC1250D at 50A — plus the BCDC2420 for 24V systems. The 12V models accept 9V to 32V in, and the D models take a solar input through an MPPT regulator as well as the alternator. Three-stage charging on the 6A to 40A, with a fourth stage on the 50A that REDARC call SoftStart. Mounting brackets too, because where it goes matters.

Manager Alpha battery management

The Alpha100 takes mains, alternator and solar input and manages the battery in one box — REDARC rate it at 100A. The Alpha50 is the smaller Manager Alpha. This is the one for a build where the battery bank is the point rather than an accessory.

Trailer light reducers and interfaces

The VRM reducer takes a 24V truck down to 12V so a trailer's lights work off it, which is the everyday problem on anything with a prime mover in front of it. The VTI-12 trailer light interface handles the 12V side, running LED and incandescent globes at up to 42W per circuit. We fit the reducers as well as supply them.

Tow-Pro Elite brake controllers

REDARC's Tow-Pro Elite electric brake controller, with the dial mounted in a blank switch position using a Tow-Pro switch insert. Fitting a Tow-Pro is a job we do — ring us with the vehicle and the van.

Inverters, solar and power supplies

Pure sine wave inverters in 12V at 1000W, 2000W and 3000W — the 3000W is the RS3, part number R-12-3000RS3 — and 24V at 1000W — pure sine because anything with a motor, a compressor or a charger in it is fussy about the waveform it is fed. REDARC 12V solar panels in 180W and 200W, and the DPS2410 DC power supply for 24V at 10A.

RedVision total vehicle management

REDARC's RedVision display, mounted in the wall of the van or the canopy — battery state of charge and hours remaining on one screen.

Handbrake alarms and timer relays

The HBA1224 handbrake alarm runs on 12V or 24V with the buzzer built in — a small part that stops an expensive habit on trucks and plant. The TIM06 timer relay is 12/24V at 10A, and it is the piece for keeping something running for a set time after the key is off.

REDARC in the real world

The gear, as it ends up fitted.

A caravan we fitted out, photographed in July 2024. What a spec sheet cannot show you is where the box actually goes and how the cable gets to it, and that is most of what decides whether a system is any good to live with.

A REDARC Manager ALPHA100 battery management system mounted in a caravan compartment, with a Projecta MPPT solar regulator above it and red, black and white cabling run across both
A Manager ALPHA100 we fitted into a caravan's electrical compartment, with a Projecta solar regulator mounted above it.
A REDARC RedVision display panel mounted in a caravan wall showing 76 per cent battery and seven hours remaining, with a Projecta monitor above it
The RedVision display on the same van, reading 76 per cent and seven hours left.
Worth knowing

The honest take.

The most common mistake with dual battery gear is buying the charger before working out the battery bank, the cable run and how long the vehicle actually drives between stops. Get those three right and the REDARC part that suits usually picks itself. Ring us or come in, tell us what the vehicle has to do, and we will work out which part of the range actually suits it rather than selling you up the list.

Related
FAQ

REDARC questions.

Why can't I find REDARC in your online shop?+
Because it is held at the Townsville workshop rather than sold online. Ring us and we will tell you what is on the shelf.
What does a DCDC charger actually do?+
It takes charge from the alternator or a solar panel and delivers it to a second battery at the voltage and in the stages that battery needs. A modern vehicle's alternator will not do that on its own, and a lithium battery in particular ends up undercharged without one.
Which BCDC charger do I need?+
It comes down to the size of the battery bank, how long you drive between stops, and whether solar is going on the roof as well. The 12V range runs from 6A on the BCDC1206 to 50A on the BCDC1250D, and the D models take solar through an MPPT regulator as well as the alternator. Tell us the battery and the vehicle and we will size it rather than guess.
What is the difference between a BCDC and a Manager Alpha?+
A BCDC charges a second battery from the alternator, and on the D models from solar as well. A Manager Alpha100 takes mains input as well and manages the battery in the one unit. If the build is going to live off its battery bank, the Manager is usually the tidier answer.
Do you install REDARC Tow-Pro brake controllers?+
Yes. Fitting a Tow-Pro Elite is a job we do. Ring us with the vehicle and the van.
Do you fit REDARC, or only sell it?+
Both. Fitting a Tow-Pro brake controller and fitting a trailer plug reducer are jobs on our books. For anything else, ring us with the vehicle and what it has to do and we will quote the install.
Can I bring my own REDARC kit and have you fit it?+
It happens, though we would rather supply the kit ourselves — we know it suits the vehicle and what it needs to run properly. If you have already bought one, ring us and describe it.
Next step

Touring build needs proper electrical? Let's spec the REDARC.

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