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Generators

The Generators module tracks runtime, fuel consumption, scheduled maintenance, and downtime for every backup generator in your facility. Critical when ECG outages run 4+ hours a day in some areas.

What residents see

Residents have a small Power Status widget on their dashboard:

  • Currently — Mains / Generator / Off
  • Today's runtime — how long the generator has run today
  • This month — total generator hours

Useful for residents who want to know "is the generator running right now?" before reporting a power-out, and for landlords whose tenancies include "generator hours included" caps.

What facility admins / staff do

Register a generator

Generators → New Generator (or via the Equipment module under category=Generator):

  • Name (e.g. "Main 100kVA - Generator Room")
  • Make + model
  • kVA rating
  • Fuel type (diesel, petrol, dual)
  • Tank capacity
  • Installation date
  • Service interval (typically every 250 operating hours for diesel)

Log runtime

Two ways to log runtime:

  1. Manual log — staff enter "started at 14:32, stopped at 19:47" when the generator runs. Simple, works without sensors.
  2. Sensor sync — if your facility has a generator-monitoring sensor (Simens, Komatsu, custom IoT), it pushes runtime data automatically. Talk to your CautaReside operator about supported integrations.

Log fuel

When you refuel: - Generators → Log Fuel - Pick the generator - Enter litres added + cost - Optional photo of the receipt

The system tracks consumption (litres per operating hour) and warns when a generator's efficiency drops — usually a sign the engine needs service or the fuel quality is poor.

Service schedule

Same pattern as Equipment: - Interval (hours-based for generators, e.g. every 250 hours) - Service type (oil change, full service, top overhaul) - Auto-warning when next service is due

Outage records

Each runtime entry is implicitly an outage record (the reason the generator was needed). The Outage Log view aggregates this: - Outages per month / quarter - Average outage duration - ECG-pattern analysis (which days of week, time of day)

Useful for: - Negotiating with ECG over poor service in your area - Budgeting fuel costs - Justifying capital expenditure on a bigger generator

Reports

  • Fuel cost per month (line item on your facility's expense report)
  • Cost per generator-hour (fuel + amortized service)
  • Uptime (% of time the generator was available when needed)
  • Service compliance (services performed on time vs late)

Tips

  • Log fuel every refuel — your monthly fuel costs are the largest variable expense in most Ghanaian estates. Granular tracking helps spot theft and inefficiency.
  • Service on schedule — generators that run past service intervals fail catastrophically and replacements cost 100x the missed service.
  • Photograph receipts — fuel suppliers occasionally short-deliver. A receipt photo + the metered tank reading proves the discrepancy.
  • Connect to Broadcast — when scheduling a generator service that requires a power-down period, send a broadcast 48 hours ahead so residents can plan around it.