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Laptop as server, how to best manage battery? (lemmy.ca)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by mgrimace@lemmy.ca to c/selfhosted@lemmy.world

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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!

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[–] cecilkorik@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago

If you have an option in the BIOS or drivers to set the battery charging threshhold to stop charging at 80% or possibly even lower (I believe Lithium Ion/Polymer cells are happiest at around 40-60% state of charge, which is why they are usually shipped that way). Sometimes this feature exists, but only vaguely described as "battery life optimization" or some similar wankery that they never properly explain.

You can also just remove the battery entirely if it will be always plugged in, but setting it to a low/modest maximum charge gives you a nice, reliable, built-in UPS in case of power interruptions.