What the flashing usually means

  • A slow, regular blink (no sound): a normal heartbeat on most alarms.
  • Flash plus a chirp: usually a low battery or fault.
  • Rapid or unusual flashing: a triggered-alarm memory or sensor fault.
  • Green vs red: green is usually mains power, red is status; check your manual.

Patterns differ across WATCH, RED, Emerald, Brooks, Clipsal and PSA alarms: the manual is the definitive guide.

Try this first

  1. 01Watch the pattern for a minute: steady and silent, or paired with a beep?
  2. 02Silent and regular: almost certainly normal. Leave it be.
  3. 03A chirp is a low-battery or end-of-life warning.
  4. 04Check the manufacture date; past 10 years, replace it regardless.

When to call an electrician

Unusual flashing, a beep you can't clear, or you can't tell what it's saying: we'll identify the model and confirm whether it's normal or a fault. If faulty or expired, we'll replace it with a compliant interconnected photoelectric alarm and certify the install.