RECD for Telecom Sites: Planning for Remote, Unattended Operation

A hospital DG room has an electrician within shouting distance. A factory has a shift engineer who walks past the generator twice a day. A telecom site usually has nobody. The shelter door stays locked, the tower hums above it, and the only regular visitor may be a field technician who arrives once a fortnight, or once a month, or when an alarm forces the issue.

That changes how you should think about a retrofit emission control device. On an attended site, small problems get noticed: a strange smell, a warning light, a rising gauge. On an unattended site, the device has to report its own health, cope with long gaps between visits, and survive theft and tampering risks that most industrial sites never face.

This guide evaluates an RECD for telecom sites through one lens: can the site run it safely and compliantly with nobody there? It uses a remote readiness scorecard with eight questions, then covers site types, alarm design, visit planning, security and the commercial side for tower companies and operators.

Which Telecom Sites Are Actually in Scope

Not every telecom site is a candidate. Start by sorting your portfolio, because the answer differs sharply by site type.

Site type	Typical DG size	Typical DG role	RECD relevance
Rural or semi-urban ground-based tower	Often 15 to 25 kVA	Main or frequent backup on weak grid	Often below or at the bottom of regulated bands; check local rules
Urban rooftop site	Small or none, often battery-only	Rare backup	Usually limited
Hub or aggregation site	40 to 125 kVA	Backup for many downstream sites	Possible, depending on size and location
Mobile switching centre or core site	250 to 1500 kVA, often multiple sets	Critical backup	High, especially in NCR
Exchange building or data hub	160 to 1000 kVA	Critical backup	High, especially in NCR

In NCR, CAQM Direction No. 76 set out its compliance routes in kW bands starting at 19 kW. Sets of 19 to 125 kW were to move to dual fuel, sets from 125 to 800 kW could take dual fuel or an RECD, and sets over 800 kW were to fit an RECD. Many tower-site DGs sit near or below the bottom of that range, and the way small sets are treated should be confirmed with your SPCB. Core sites, switching centres and exchange buildings usually fall squarely inside it. Rules change, so read the current direction before planning. Our DG set emission regulations page and the GRAP stage explainer give the background.

The Department of Telecommunications has pushed the sector towards cleaner energy for over a decade. Its Green Telecom guidance encourages renewable and hybrid power at tower sites, and coverage such as Down To Earth’s report on diesel use at telecom towers shows why the issue drew attention. For many rural towers, the long-term answer is less diesel, through solar, lithium batteries and better grid supply. For core sites and large hubs in polluted regions, an RECD on the existing DG is often the practical answer for the sets that remain.

The Remote Readiness Scorecard

Use these eight questions for each candidate site. Score each from 0 (not in place) to 2 (fully in place). A site scoring 12 or more is ready for an RECD. A site scoring 8 to 11 can proceed with fixes. A site below 8 needs work before you spend money on hardware.

#	Question	0	1	2
1	Can the RECD’s alarms reach a person within minutes?	No remote link	Local display only, checked on visits	Alarms in the NOC or on-call phone
2	Does the DG run at a load that lets the filter clean itself?	Mostly idles	Mixed	Mostly well loaded
3	Is the DG exercised on a schedule that helps the filter?	No-load tests only	Occasional loaded runs	Planned loaded runs
4	How long between technician visits?	Over a month	Two to four weeks	Under two weeks or on-call
5	Is the site secure against theft and tampering?	Open yard	Fenced	Caged equipment, alarmed
6	Is there space and safe access for the device?	Cramped, no access	Tight but workable	Clear access
7	Is engine health tracked?	No records	Basic service log	Hours, oil, smoke tracked
8	Is fuel quality controlled?	Unknown sources	Mixed	Approved supplier, theft control

Each question is explained below.

Question 1: Who Sees the Alarm?

An RECD with a diesel particulate filter needs attention when backpressure climbs. On an attended site, a technician sees the display. On an unattended site, that warning is useless unless it reaches someone.

Modern RECDs, including Aceget’s units, offer IoT monitoring with remote access to data such as backpressure and exhaust temperature. For a telecom operator, the real question is where that data goes:

• Vendor portal only. Better than nothing, but someone in your organisation must log in and look.
• Email or SMS alerts. Useful if routed to an on-call group, not a single person who may be on leave.
• Integration with your NOC. Ideal. Many telecom sites already have a site management system or remote monitoring unit that carries DG alarms, door alarms and fuel level to the network operations centre. Ask the RECD vendor what output options exist, such as potential-free alarm contacts or data protocols, so that RECD alarms appear alongside existing site alarms.

An alarm escalation matrix

Agree in advance who acts on what. An illustrative matrix:

Alarm	Meaning	First response	Escalation
Backpressure warning	Filter loading higher than normal	NOC logs; schedule loaded run or visit within days	Field supervisor if repeated
Backpressure high	Filter loading near limit	Visit within 24 to 48 hours; consider loaded run	Vendor support
Exhaust temperature low for long periods	DG running light	Review run pattern; plan exercise	Energy team
Sensor or communication fault	No data from device	Remote check, then visit	Vendor support
Device tamper or enclosure open	Possible theft or interference	Security response	Police and asset team

The point is simple: every alarm must have an owner.

Question 2: Does the DG Run Hard Enough?

The DPF inside the RECD cleans itself through passive regeneration, where trapped soot burns off as hot exhaust passes through. That depends on exhaust temperature, which depends on engine load.

Telecom DG load patterns vary more than people expect.

Large core sites

Switching centres and exchange buildings carry heavy cooling loads. When the DG runs during a grid failure, it usually carries precision air conditioning, rectifiers charging batteries and lighting. Load is often substantial, which suits regeneration.

Hub sites with DG-battery hybrid systems

Many tower sites use a hybrid scheme: batteries carry the site through short outages, and the DG starts only when batteries reach a set depth of discharge. When it starts, it runs at a fairly high load, because it supplies the site and recharges the batteries at the same time. It runs for a few hours, then stops. This pattern can be quite good for the filter, provided each run is long enough for the exhaust to heat up properly.

Oversized sets at older sites

Some older sites were fitted with larger sets than needed, or have lost load as equipment was upgraded to more efficient radios and rectifiers. These DGs may run at a small fraction of their rating. Light running means cool exhaust and slow regeneration.

Pull DG run data from your remote monitoring system. Look at average load, typical run length and number of starts per month. Our guide on understanding generator load factor and duty cycle helps interpret it, and our post on whether an RECD suits a DG set that runs only occasionally covers low-duty sets.

Question 3: How Is the Set Exercised?

Most telecom sites have an automatic exercise routine: the DG starts once a week or so for a short no-load or light-load run to prove it works. That proves the engine starts. It does little for a particulate filter, and it can encourage wet stacking in the engine.

Where possible, change the routine:

• Make exercise runs loaded, by transferring the site load to the DG for the run instead of running it off-load
• Make them long enough for the exhaust to reach working temperature
• Use the hybrid controller to schedule an occasional battery-charging run on DG during a period of high grid reliability, if the site’s energy strategy allows

This is a controller setting, not a hardware change, and it is one of the cheapest steps in the whole project.

Question 4: How Often Does Someone Visit?

Visit frequency shapes the maintenance plan. An RECD needs periodic checks of mounting, joints, sensor connections and cleanliness, plus any maintenance the vendor specifies. The general routine is set out in our RECD maintenance guide; the trick at telecom sites is fitting it into visits you already make.

For unattended sites, the practical approach is to bundle RECD checks into existing preventive maintenance visits rather than creating a separate visit schedule. That means:

• Adding RECD items to the field technician’s PM checklist
• Training field technicians, often from an outsourced O&M partner, on what to check and what not to touch
• Giving them a simple photo protocol: display reading, mounting, joints, any visible soot at the outlet
• Setting a rule for when to call the vendor rather than attempt a fix

Many tower companies manage maintenance through clusters, with one technician covering a group of sites. A cluster-level spare kit, such as gaskets and sensor parts recommended by the vendor, avoids repeat visits.

Question 5: Is the Site Secure?

This question is specific to unattended sites, and it is easy to underestimate. Diesel theft and battery theft are well-known problems at tower sites. An RECD adds a new target. The catalyst coating in many after-treatment devices contains precious metals, and catalytic converter theft from vehicles is common in many countries for exactly that reason.

Practical steps:

• Physical protection. Mount the RECD inside the existing DG enclosure or a lockable steel cage, with tamper-resistant fasteners.
• Alarm the enclosure. Extend the existing door alarm or add a contact on the RECD cage.
• Mark the device. Visible asset marking and a serial number on record discourage resale.
• Watch for data loss. A device that suddenly stops reporting at a remote site may have been disconnected or removed. Treat a communication loss as a possible security event until proved otherwise.
• Check insurance. Confirm that the RECD is covered under the site’s asset insurance.

Diesel theft also matters for emissions. Stolen fuel is often replaced with poor-quality fuel, and contaminated or adulterated diesel can raise soot output and damage both engine and filter.

Question 6: Is There Space and Safe Access?

Tower sites are compact. A small DG in a canopy may sit inches from the shelter wall, the fence or the tower base. Rooftop sites add weight limits and access risks.

Points to check during the survey:

• Space for the device in the exhaust line, either inside the canopy or on a bracket outside it
• Structural support for the extra weight, especially on rooftops
• A safe working position for technicians, away from tower climbing zones and RF exposure areas defined by your safety rules
• Clearance from the shelter’s air conditioning condensers, so hot exhaust is not drawn into cooling equipment
• The direction of the outlet relative to neighbouring houses, which matters at urban and semi-urban sites where neighbours complain about smoke

Every extra pipe length adds to exhaust resistance, and small engines often have tight backpressure limits. Ask the vendor for the calculation. Small engines are less forgiving here, as our note on how exhaust backpressure affects a DG set shows.

Question 7: Is Engine Health Tracked?

A remote DG that is serviced irregularly, uses oil or has worn injectors will send more soot to the filter. On an attended site, someone notices black smoke. On an unattended site, nobody does until the filter alarm arrives.

Before fitting an RECD, review the service history of each candidate set. Sets with heavy smoke, high oil consumption or overdue overhauls should be fixed first. Our guide on whether to complete an engine overhaul before fitting an RECD helps with that decision, and why a generator emits black smoke covers common causes.

After installation, the RECD’s own data becomes a health monitor. A rising backpressure trend at a site with an unchanged run pattern often points to the engine, not the filter.

Question 8: Is Fuel Quality Controlled?

Telecom sites are refuelled by contractors, often by tanker on a route covering many sites. Fuel quality and fuel theft are recurring issues across the industry.

For an RECD, fuel quality matters because high sulphur or contaminated diesel affects catalyst performance and soot loading. Use approved suppliers, keep fuel delivery records, and investigate sites where fuel consumption does not match run hours. Our article on how ultra-low sulphur diesel improves emission control explains the link.

Applying the Scorecard: Three Illustrative Sites

These are composite examples to show how the scorecard works. They are not real customers.

Core switching site in Noida, 2 x 750 kVA

Question	Score	Note
Alarm reach	2	Building management system feeds the NOC
Load	2	Heavy cooling and rectifier load
Exercise	1	Monthly test, partly loaded
Visits	2	Facility staff on site in day shift
Security	2	Secure building
Space	1	Tight plant room
Engine health	2	Full service records
Fuel	2	Contracted supplier
Total	14	Ready

Action: Proceed. Make monthly tests fully loaded. Route RECD alarms into the BMS. Plan fitment one set at a time, keeping the second set and batteries as backup.

Hub site near Ghaziabad, 1 x 62.5 kVA

Question	Score	Note
Alarm reach	1	Remote monitoring unit carries DG alarms; RECD alarm needs integration
Load	1	Hybrid scheme; reasonable load during charging runs
Exercise	0	Weekly no-load run
Visits	1	Fortnightly PM
Security	1	Fenced, not caged
Space	1	Workable
Engine health	1	Basic log
Fuel	1	Route tanker
Total	7	Fix first

Action: Before choosing a route, check whether this set’s rating places it in the dual fuel band under the current direction; compare using RECD vs dual fuel kit. If an RECD is chosen, first change the exercise routine to loaded runs, add a cage, and connect the alarm to the remote monitoring unit. The 62.5 kVA DG set RECD page shows the device for this size.

Exchange building in Gurugram, 1 x 320 kVA

Question	Score	Note
Alarm reach	1	Local display only today
Load	1	Load reduced after equipment modernisation
Exercise	1	Monthly partly loaded run
Visits	2	Weekly facility visit
Security	2	Secure compound
Space	2	Open yard
Engine health	1	Service records patchy
Fuel	2	Contract supply
Total	12	Ready with care

Action: Proceed, with remote alarm routing added and a load study to confirm regeneration conditions after modernisation. Device details for this rating are on the 320 kVA DG set RECD page.

Installation at an Unattended Site

Fitment usually needs a day or two of downtime per set, though small sets can be quicker. At a telecom site, the network cannot go down, so plan backup carefully.

• Battery autonomy. Confirm the batteries can carry the site through the fitment window if the grid fails. Old batteries may not.
• Portable DG. For long fitments or weak-grid areas, bring a portable set, connected through the site’s emergency input if one exists.
• Change window. Book the work through your network change process, so the NOC knows the DG will be unavailable and does not dispatch technicians for the expected alarms.
• Access permits. Landlord permission for rooftop or leased sites, and any site access rules from the infrastructure provider.
• Hot work. Cutting and welding near battery banks and fuel tanks needs a permit, a fire extinguisher at hand and attention to hydrogen release from lead-acid batteries during charging. Ventilate battery rooms before any spark-producing work.

The RECD installation process guide explains the general sequence. For leased or third-party DGs, read can you install an RECD on a rented diesel generator.

Commissioning remotely

At commissioning, confirm not only the device but also the data path. A remote site’s RECD is only as good as the alarm that leaves it.

1. Run the DG on load and record backpressure and exhaust temperature locally.
2. Check that the same readings appear on the vendor portal and, where integrated, in the NOC.
3. Trigger a test alarm and confirm it reaches the on-call group.
4. Record the baseline values for future comparison.
5. Photograph the installation and upload the photos to the site record.

Fleet Rollout for Tower Companies and Operators

Operators and tower companies manage thousands of sites. A sensible rollout approach:

1. Segment the portfolio. Use the site type table to separate sites that are in scope from those that are not.
2. Prioritise by regulation and risk. Sites in NCR and other regulated areas first, then larger sets, then sites with neighbour complaints.
3. Pilot. Fit a handful of sites across different types, run them for a few months, and review alarm data and visit reports.
4. Standardise. Choose a small number of device sizes and one alarm integration approach across the fleet.
5. Train partners. Most field maintenance is outsourced. Train O&M partners and include RECD checks in their service-level agreements.
6. Review the energy strategy in parallel. For sites where solar, lithium batteries or improved grid supply can remove most DG hours, compare that investment with an RECD.

Our guide to choosing CPCB approved RECD vendors is useful for the tender, and RECD cost in India explains what drives price.

Records for an Unattended Site

Inspectors and auditors do not care whether a site is staffed. They expect the same records. For each site, keep a digital folder with:

• Device type approval and test certificate
• Commissioning report and baseline readings
• Photos of the installation and nameplates
• Alarm history from the remote system
• PM visit reports with RECD checks
• Fuel delivery and consumption records

Remote data makes this easier than on many attended sites, because the history is already stored. Our checklist on environmental compliance for generator owners covers wider obligations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an RECD work at a telecom site with nobody on site?

Yes, if the site is prepared for it. Alarms must reach someone remotely, the DG must run at a load that lets the filter clean itself, and the device must be physically secure. Use the remote readiness scorecard to check.

Do small tower-site DGs need an RECD?

Not always. Many tower-site sets are small, and the compliance route depends on rating, location and current rules. In NCR, smaller regulated sets were directed towards dual fuel. Check the latest CAQM direction and your SPCB for your sets.

How do we get RECD alarms into our NOC?

Ask the vendor what alarm outputs and data options the device offers, then connect them to your existing remote monitoring unit or site management system. Test the full path at commissioning.

Will weekly DG exercise runs keep the filter clean?

Short no-load runs do little. Loaded runs that last long enough for the exhaust to heat up are much better. Adjust the controller schedule where possible.

Is theft a real risk for an RECD at remote sites?

Yes. Catalysts contain valuable materials. Protect the device with a cage, alarm the enclosure and treat any loss of data as a possible security event.

Should we fit RECDs or invest in solar and batteries?

It depends on the site. For core sites with large DGs, an RECD is often the practical answer. For rural towers, reducing DG hours through renewables and storage may deliver more. Many operators will do both across their portfolio.

Make the Site Ready Before You Fit the Device

An RECD on an unattended telecom site succeeds or fails on the things around it: alarm routing, run patterns, visit routines and security. Score each site, fix the gaps, then fit and commission with the data path tested end to end. Aceget supplies CPCB type-approved RECDs with IoT monitoring for DG sets from 25 kVA to 2500 kVA. To plan a pilot across your site types, reach the Aceget team or browse the retrofit emission control device range.