What Red says about itself
Red describes itself as 100% Australian owned and operated, with alarms designed by electricians and serviced locally. It says every alarm meets AS 3786:2014 and comes with a 10-year manufacturer's warranty.
The two models people ask about
| R240RC | R10RF | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 240-volt hardwired, with a rechargeable lithium backup | Sealed 3-volt lithium battery that lasts 10 years |
| Sensor | Photoelectric | Photoelectric |
| Linking | Wired to up to 40 Red alarms, or wireless by adding Red's RF wireless base | Built-in RF wireless, up to 20 Red alarms |
| Mixed homes | Joins a wireless system through the RF base | Links 240-volt hardwired and 10-year wireless Red models together |
| Who fits it | A licensed electrician, Red says | Battery only, no mains wiring |
The rest of the range
Red's standard range also has the R240 (240-volt with a 9-volt backup battery), the R10 (stand-alone 10-year lithium) and the R9 (stand-alone 9-volt battery). Stand-alone means it doesn't talk to other alarms, so it won't satisfy a rule that needs interconnection, such as Queensland's.
The Professional range adds 240-volt alarms with a 10-year 3-volt lithium backup (the RSDUALP, and the RFMDUAL flush-mount model that needs a 90 mm cut-out), plus the battery-only R10RFP with built-in RF. Red says these have a dual mesh to help stop false alarms from insects and humidity.
The RACP wireless controller, wall-mounted or handheld, can test the alarms, show which one was triggered, hush it and silence low-battery beeps. It only works with Red alarms.
Before you buy Red
- Decide the power type first. Hardwired replacements stay 240-volt.
- If the alarms need to be linked, skip the stand-alone R10 and R9.
- For a home mixing wired and battery alarms, use R10RF alarms with an R240RC fitted with Red's RF wireless base.
- Count the alarms: wired links reach 40 Red alarms, RF links 20.
- Expect to stay with Red, since the RACP controller and the linking are built around Red alarms.
What you can do, and what's licensed work
You can
- Press the test button, or use the RACP controller if you have one.
- Put up battery-only R10RF alarms, which have no mains wiring.
- Change the battery in an R9, or the 9-volt backup in an R240.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- Installing the R240RC, the R240 or any Professional 240-volt model.
- Wiring alarms together, or adding the RF wireless base to a hardwired alarm.
- Cutting in a flush-mount RFMDUAL.
If we were choosing Red
We'd keep a hardwired home hardwired with the R240RC, and add R10RF alarms through the RF base anywhere new cable would mean opening up ceilings. That keeps every alarm in one linked system, and the electrician can set it all up and test it together in one visit.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.