Safeguarding Fuel Resources for BTS Generator Sets: An Arduino-Based Monitoring System with Fuel Theft Detection Prototype

Fuel theft from Base Transceiver Station (BTS) generator sets (Gensets) is a prevalent issue that poses financial losses and operational disruptions for telecommunication companies. Traditional security measures have limitations in preventing fuel theft effectively, necessitating innovative monitoring systems. This paper presents the design and testing of a monitoring system with a fuel theft detection prototype for Gensets at BTS. The results obtained demonstrate promising findings. The fuel sensor (float sensor) accurately detects fuel volume reductions with an average error of 1.16% compared to manual and system measurements and reliably detects fuel volume increases with an average error of 1.62%. The SCT-103 current sensor successfully detects the operational status of the Gensets with a 100% success rate by measuring the current flowing to the load. Using internet connectivity, the NodeMCU ESP32 enables seamless data transmission and storage to databases like Firebase and Google Sheets. The developed smartphone application provides real-time information on available fuel volume and user-friendly access to historical fuel usage data. These findings highlight the potential and feasibility of the prototype system as an effective and efficient solution for monitoring fuel volume in Gensets at BTS, with potential applications in various industries. Further research and implementation can be pursued to optimize and expand the system's capabilities for practical use in real-world scenarios.