this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2026
69 points (96.0% liked)

Selfhosted

59897 readers
791 users here now

A place to share alternatives to popular online services that can be self-hosted without giving up privacy or locking you into a service you don't control.

Rules:

  1. Be civil: we're here to support and learn from one another. Insults won't be tolerated. Flame wars are frowned upon.

  2. No spam.

  3. Posts here are to be centered around self-hosting. Please ensure it is clear in your post how it relates to self-hosting.

  4. Don't duplicate the full text of your blog or git here. Just post the link for folks to click.

  5. Submission headline should match the article title.

  6. No trolling.

Resources:

Any issues on the community? Report it using the report flag.

Questions? DM the mods!

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
ruud@lemmy.world
Loki@lemmy.world
CannaVet@lemmy.world
devve@lemmy.world
ayyy@sh.itjust.works
curbstickle@anarchist.nexus
curbstickle_lw@lemmy.world
69
Laptop as server, how to best manage battery? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by mgrimace@lemmy.ca to c/selfhosted@lemmy.world
30 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Hello folks,

What do folks recommend as good practices to use a laptop as an always on, always plugged-in server? Specifically, how to manage the battery and some of the potential cautions/dangers of keeping it plugged in.

I have a spare Dell workstation laptop that I'd like to use as a Proxmox node. I've seen a number of posts where folks will mention that using a spare laptop works well because it has a built in 'UPS', but then in the comments there's caution about the battery being plugged in all the time.

I'm curious what folks do in terms of battery management, assuming I want to keep this as hands-off/low maintenance (but fireproof) as possible.

Thank you all so much, ~M

Update: thank you all so much for the great advice. This is a Dell Workstation and it does have a 'Primarily AC use' power setting in the BIOS, as well as custom charge levels available. Appreciate it and I hope this discussion helps other folks looking to do the same!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 24 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Dell bios settings often include battery charge limit settings. I have mine set to a 70% limit which provides hours of backup with the display off.

Modern laptop batteries when kept cool and undamaged are extremely safe despite what you might read in these comments, especially when you limit the charge. Parking your car in your garage is hundreds of times more hazardous.

[–] sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Same here, battery running for years with no noticeable degradation

[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

The anti li-ion crowd here is really strange. I wonder if they're also anti-vaccine?