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!

  • AMillionMonkeys@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    4 hours ago

    My primary server is an Acer laptop running Debian. It ran on power with no modification or trouble for a couple of years, but I heard some horror stories about spicy pillows so I found a way to clamp the battery’s charge level to 80%. Now it just sits there like that. I know how to do it with an Acer laptop - not sure about Dell.
    But nothing has burnt down and it’s been running for several years.