Specialist trade

Auto electrician, Townsville.

Auto electrical diagnostics, repairs and installations for cars, utes, 4WDs, caravans, commercial and off-road vehicles, trucks, heavy machinery and earthmoving gear — from the Townsville workshop and across the North Queensland catchment.

Townlec has been doing this since 2008, and the thing that has not changed is the order we do it in: find the fault first, explain it in plain English, then fix what is actually broken. Electrical faults are where guesswork gets expensive, because a parts-swapper can replace three good components before stumbling onto the bad one — and you pay for all four.

Request a quote Call (07) 4448 3602

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We diagnose the fault before replacing anything
Cars, utes, 4WDs, caravans, trucks, machinery and earthmovers
Fleet and machinery work on site, everything else at the workshop
What we found and what it'll cost, before work starts
Quality parts, tested before the vehicle leaves

What we do

The work, in detail.

Fault diagnosis

The part of the trade everything else depends on. Full OBD-II and manufacturer-level scan tools, plus a multimeter and the patience to use it — because a stored code tells you which circuit is unhappy, not which wire has chafed through behind a bracket. We find the cause, not the symptom.

Starter motors

Slow cranking, a click and nothing, or a starter that works when it feels like it. Bench-tested to confirm it is genuinely the starter and not the battery, the ignition switch or a bad earth. Rebuilt where the unit is worth rebuilding, replaced where it is not.

Alternators & charging systems

An alternator that undercharges quietly kills batteries; one that overcharges cooks them. We test output under load, check the regulator, the belt and the wiring back to the battery, and tell you which part of the charging system is at fault.

Battery testing & replacement

Carbon-pile load testing and internal resistance checks, so you find out whether the battery is genuinely finished or just flattened by something else. Full range stocked — see the batteries page for the detail.

Wiring & harness repair

Chasing an intermittent fault is what separates an auto electrician from a parts-swapper. Harness inspection, chafed looms, corroded joins, water ingress, and previous repairs done with scotch-locks and tape. We trace it, isolate it and repair or replace the affected section properly, so it does not come back next wet season.

Component repair & replacement

Switches, relays, solenoids, sensors, ignition barrels, window and central locking motors, wiper and cooling fan circuits, instrument clusters. If it is electrical and it has stopped doing its job, it is worth a look before the whole assembly gets condemned.

Heavy machinery & truck electrics

24V systems, isolators, hydraulic interlocks, beacon and work light circuits, scale wiring and charging on plant that works in dust and vibration all day. Fleet, mining, agriculture, civil and earthmoving across North Queensland.

Driving lights, LED bars & accessories

Relayed, fused, switched and sealed — the parts of an install nobody sees and everybody notices when they are skipped. Quality brands only, wired so the loom is not carrying more than it was designed for.

Custom installs & upgrades

Dual battery systems, auxiliary power circuits, inverters, winch wiring, dash and reversing cameras, UHF and audio, alarms and immobilisers, and accessory circuits for touring and work fit-outs. Planned properly, fused properly, and documented so the next person can follow it.

Caravan, trailer & towbar electrics

7-pin and 12-pin plugs, brake controllers, trailer charging and lighting, and 12V DC circuits inside caravans and campers — lighting, fridges, water pumps and charging that has stopped behaving. Wired to suit the tow vehicle and fully tested before it leaves.

A Fusion 12.8V 300Ah slim lithium battery, REDARC BCDC charger, Victron DC-DC converter, Victron Blue Smart charger and Hulk 2000W inverter set up inside an alloy canopy, with four Townlec staff smiling through the side door

Built in Townsville

A lithium canopy set-up, built from the panel out.

A 300Ah slim lithium battery, a REDARC BCDC charger, a Victron DC-DC converter, a Victron Blue Smart charger and a Hulk 2000W pure sine wave inverter, set up in an alloy canopy and photographed at the Townsville workshop with part of the crew in the doorway.

We built the electrical set-up and fabricated the panel it is all mounted on, so the gear and what holds it were made as one job.

Lithium, more than one way of charging it and an inverter in the same canopy is a system rather than a battery swap. Every piece is fused and cabled for what it draws, and the charging side has to suit lithium or the battery never gives you what it is rated for.

Lithium and dual battery upgrades

A REDARC solar panel mounted flat on the cab roof of a side-by-side, its cable dressed along the edge of the roof

Recent work

A light bar, a spotlight, and a solar panel.

A customer's four-door side-by-side, in the workshop for a fit-out rather than a fault. A roof-mounted LED light bar across the front of the cab, a STEDI spotlight on the A-pillar, a full cab enclosure with doors and glass, carpet lining and speakers in the roof, and a REDARC solar panel mounted flat on top of it.

That is the difference between an accessory and a fit-out. Each of those is its own circuit — a relay, a fuse rated to the cable rather than to the light, a switch the driver can actually reach, and a run that gets from the battery to the roof without chafing through on a pillar or getting pinched in a door. Skip any one of them and the fault turns up months later, in the wet.

Light bars, spotlights, UHF, reversing cameras, inverters, dual battery systems and audio all go in the same way — planned first, fused properly, and left so the next person can follow the wiring. Tell us what you want the machine to do and we will work out what it needs. It is the same trade as chasing a fault, run in the other direction.

REDARC installs and dual battery systems

Custom installs

Dual batteries, DC-DC and solar.

Dual battery systems, DC-DC chargers, solar and the accessory circuits that run off them — in canopies, utes, caravans and side-by-sides. The gear is the straightforward part. The charging side is what decides whether a touring or work build holds up, so that is where we start.

A Fusion 100Ah lithium battery, a Victron Orion-Tr DC-DC converter and a REDARC unit mounted to the alloy wall of a ute canopy above a fused distribution block — A 100Ah lithium battery on the canopy wall, a Victron DC-DC converter above it, a REDARC unit beside that, and four fused circuits running out of the block below. The state-of-charge display is there so you can read what is left rather than guess at it.

A REDARC BCDC DC-DC charger and a Fusion lithium battery mounted into the roof of a side-by-side cab, with fused cabling run between them — A REDARC BCDC charger and a lithium battery mounted up into the roof of a side-by-side cab, cabled and fused between the two. Where the gear goes is part of the job — it has to be reachable, and it has to stay out of the way of everything else.

A STEDI spotlight mounted on the A-pillar of a side-by-side, its cable run in spiral wrap down to the aftermarket front bar — The accessory end of the same trade. A spotlight on the A-pillar, bolted through a bracket off the front bar, with the cable run in spiral wrap rather than left to rub on the pillar.

The range

One trade, wildly different jobs.

A hatchback with a parasitic drain and a fire appliance on a scheduled inspection are the same trade, done with the same meter and the same thinking. That breadth is the reason a fleet does not need three separate suppliers — and it is easier to show than to claim.

A Townlec auto electrician leaning into the engine bay of a blue sedan with the bonnet up in the Townsville workshop — Bonnet up on a family car. Everyday cars are core work here — one that will not start, or a fault nobody has pinned down yet.

Two cars in the bays at the Townlec Townsville workshop, one raised on a two-post hoist with a technician working underneath it, another on the ground behind, and a tractor alongside — A car on the hoist, another on the ground behind it and a tractor waiting alongside. Some faults are only findable with the car off the ground and the loom actually reachable.

Townlec auto electrician working in the engine bay of a Western Star prime mover with the bonnet tipped forward — Bonnet up on a Western Star. Prime mover electrics run at 24V with far more circuits than a car — and a truck earns nothing while it sits, so the diagnosis has to be right the first time.

Two Townlec auto electricians working through an inspection sheet on a Fire and Rescue truck in the workshop — Working an inspection sheet on a Fire and Rescue appliance. Fleet work is scheduled, documented and signed off rather than fixed in a hurry.

Townlec technicians with a McConnel remote-control tracked flail mower in the Townsville workshop, battery racking behind them — A remote-control tracked flail mower in the workshop, controller in hand. Gear like this is why the heavy-vehicle capability stays in-house.

A pick-and-carry crane parked inside a workshop with its boom extended over the cab — A pick-and-carry crane in for work. Lifting gear carries interlocks, limit switches and safety circuits that have to be right, not just working.

A Townlec service ute parked beside a green mobile crushing plant in a North Queensland quarry — A mobile crusher in a quarry. Plant like this runs in dust and vibration all day, which is hard on every connection on it.

A Townlec service ute on a dirt track running between rows of pineapples in North Queensland — Out on a farm track between the rows. Irrigation, harvesters, tractors and pumps all run on wiring that lives outdoors in the wet.

A landfill compactor and a Townlec service van at a waste facility at sunset, birds circling above the tip face — A landfill compactor at last light. Machines like this work in the worst conditions anything electrical can be asked to survive.

A cabin boat on its tandem trailer inside the Townlec Townsville workshop — A cabin boat on its trailer, parked in the same shed as the trucks and the machinery. Boat wiring is the same trade with salt added to it.

A side-by-side utility vehicle fitted with a roof-mounted LED light bar, a spotlight on the A-pillar, a full cab enclosure and a front bar — A side-by-side built up from standard — light bar, spotlights, cab enclosure, audio and a solar panel on the roof, all of it wired and fused to suit.

A fabricated alloy control box with a limit switch, a coiled braided harness and a yellow nose cone control station with a pin movement warning label — A control box, a station and the loom to join them, made up on the bench. Some jobs do not have a part number — they get built.

Know the symptoms

When it's worth booking an auto electrician.

Electrical faults rarely arrive all at once. They announce themselves for weeks first, and the cheap version of the repair is the one you do before it strands the vehicle.

A Townlec auto electrician diagnosing a car air conditioning fault with a Fluke multimeter and a Zenith scan tool, gauge hoses connected over the engine bay — An air conditioning fault, chased electrically — gauges on, a meter on the circuit and live data off the scan tool. A stored code tells you which circuit is unhappy. It does not tell you which wire has chafed through.

Slow cranking, or a click and nothing when you turn the key
Headlights dimming at idle and brightening when you rev
A battery or charging warning light that stays on
Accessories that work intermittently, or only over bumps
Fuses that blow again shortly after being replaced
A battery that goes flat while the vehicle sits
Burning smell, discoloured connectors or melted insulation
Lights, gauges or a cluster behaving oddly in the wet

Recognise a few of those? Bring it in and we'll test it.

Call (07) 4448 3602 Request a quote

Why us

Why people bring the hard ones to us.

Diagnosis before parts

We find the fault before anything is ordered or replaced. It is slower on the day and cheaper by the end, and it is the whole reason people come to an auto electrician rather than a general workshop.

Vehicles and machines

Cars and utes through to trucks, earthmoving plant and 24V machinery. The same trade, but the diagnostic approach and the gear differ — and having both under one roof means a fleet does not need two suppliers.

The faults nobody else found

Intermittent and wet-weather faults are the ones that get handed on after somebody else has had a go. They are also the ones this trade exists for.

Repairs that survive the tropics

Heat, humidity, dust and salt are hard on connections. Sealed joins and correctly rated cable cost a little more on the day and considerably less over a few wet seasons.

Explained in plain English

You find out what we found, what we recommend and what it will cost before the work starts — in language that does not need decoding, rather than a list of part numbers.

A workshop, not just a van

Some faults can only be found with the vehicle here and the part off it. A starter gets bench-tested to confirm it is genuinely the starter and not the battery or a bad earth, and an intermittent gets chased with the loom actually accessible. That is why nearly everything is done at the workshop rather than in a driveway.

Trailer and towbar plugs, on the shelf.

Full catalogue →

Connectors

Where we work

Auto electrical across North Queensland.

The workshop is in Townsville and the catchment runs the length of the north — Mareeba, Ayr, Charters Towers, Bowen, Ingham and out to Mount Isa. A lot of auto electrical work also turns out to be a battery, a charging fault or an air conditioning circuit, so those live alongside it.

Battery replacement in TownsvilleTesting, fitting and lithium upgrades Auto air conditioningLeak detection, repairs and compressor work ECU remappingDiesel tuning for trucks, 4WDs and machinery Marine electricalBoat wiring, house banks and nav lighting Auto electrician in TownsvilleWorkshop, hours and the suburbs we cover Cairns and Far NorthShowroom, shop and FNQ coverage Connectors and electrical partsBrowse the range online

FAQ

Auto electrical questions, answered.

What does an auto electrician actually do?+

Anything electrical on a vehicle or machine: starting and charging systems, wiring and looms, lighting, sensors and switches, accessories, and the diagnostics that work out which of those is causing a problem. A general mechanic covers the engine and driveline; an auto electrician covers what makes it all switch on and keep running.

My car won't start — is it the battery?+

Not necessarily, and it is the assumption worth checking first. A flat battery, a starter motor on its way out, an alternator that stopped putting charge back in, a bad earth, or something quietly drawing current while the vehicle sits will all look identical from the driver's seat. Testing tells you which, and only one of them is fixed by a new battery.

Do you work on trucks and heavy machinery?+

Yes. 24V systems, isolators, hydraulic interlocks, work lighting, beacons, scale wiring and charging systems on plant used in mining, civil, agriculture and earthmoving.

Can you fix wiring on older vehicles?+

Absolutely. Everything from old utes through to current model diesels. Older vehicles often have the most interesting faults, because they have had the most hands in them — and a loom that has been repaired badly three times is a different job to one that has never been touched.

Are you a mobile auto electrician?+

The workshop is where nearly everything gets done, and it is where the full tool kit lives. On-site work is for fleet and commercial accounts, and for plant and machinery that genuinely cannot be moved. It is worked out on the phone rather than booked off a website — we are a small crew and the calendar fills up, so ring us, tell us the job, and we will give you an honest answer on whether it suits a visit or whether the vehicle is better off here.

Do you check air conditioning?+

Yes. There is a free air conditioning check for light vehicles, around 10 to 15 minutes — we test the system and tell you whether it is working as it should or whether it needs work. If it does, you get a quote and you decide from there. If it turns out to be an electrical fault rather than the refrigerant side, that needs proper diagnostics and a booking. The bigger air conditioning jobs have their own page.

My car won't start and I can't drive it in. What are my options?+

Ring us first and tell us what it is doing. If a jump start gets it going, bring it in on that start so the battery and charging system can both be tested. If it will not start at all, it can be towed to the workshop. Try not to replace the battery on a guess, because if the fault is somewhere else the car still will not start.

Do you rebuild or repair alternators and starter motors?+

Sometimes, though rebuilding is rarely worth doing these days. What matters more is finding out whether the alternator or starter is genuinely at fault, because a bad earth or a tired battery will imitate both — so it gets bench-tested here first, and you know what you are dealing with before anything is bought.

Will I know what's wrong before you start work?+

Yes. What we found, what we recommend and what it will cost, before anything is touched — in plain English rather than a list of part numbers. You decide from there.

Why does my fault only happen sometimes?+

Intermittent faults are almost always mechanical in origin — a connection that opens up when it heats, a loom that shorts when the chassis flexes, moisture bridging a corroded pin. They take longer to find because the fault has to be recreated before it can be measured, which is exactly why they end up with an auto electrician.

Can you install accessories I've bought myself?+

It happens, though we would rather supply the parts ourselves — we know what they draw and what they need to run properly. If you have already bought something, ring us and describe it before you book anything in, because a light bar pulling more than the circuit was designed for is a fire risk rather than a bargain.

Do you work on 4WD touring set-ups?+

Dual battery systems, DC-DC charging, inverters, fridge circuits, lighting, UHF and camera wiring. The charging side is what decides whether a touring build holds up, so that is where we start.

Next step

Got an electrical gremlin nobody else can find? I bet we can!

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