Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out if I can power my media server, which runs 24/7 in my garage, using solar panels and a battery setup. I'm not very experienced with solar energy, so I'd appreciate any guidance on what equipment I would need, potential costs, and whether this is a worthwhile investment. My server runs on Ubuntu and has the following specs: Antec VSK-4000B case, 16GB DDR4 RAM, Intel Core i5 9400 CPU, and a 750 Watt PSU. Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
Start by getting a Kill-A-Watt meter to measure how much power your server is using over time. This will help you figure out what size solar system you'll need based on your actual energy consumption.
Smart plugs with energy monitoring can also work well for this! Just run it for a while to get a sense of your usage.
If you're in the UK, you might need at least three 460W panels to get through the winter months, especially if your server's average load is around 40W. A single panel might be sufficient during summer and shoulder seasons if you're willing to switch back to mains power in winter.
Your entire setup should use less than 100W, which means you’ll likely need around 2.4 kWh of energy daily. A good setup might include about 500W in solar panels, like three panels, plus a battery capacity of around 2.5 kWh, and a quality MPPT charge controller.
You should definitely monitor the peak power to determine the inverter size you'll need. Also, consider your location and panel placement when deciding how much solar capacity and battery storage to implement.