The joys of electricity management in a South African homelab—where every watt counts, and every blackout feels like a personal challenge from the universe.
While the expense of electricity is a factor, the real kicker is the constant power draw. When you consider that a homelab, especially one comprised of multiple Small Form Factor (SFF) PCs with drives, can consume as much as a refrigerator in some cases, it's clear that managing energy usage is paramount.
But just when I thought I had the energy consumption game under control, along comes Loadshedding, the ultimate party pooper in the world of electricity management. Suddenly, my humble 155Wh portable power station is sweating more than a marathon runner in a sauna, desperately trying to keep my homelab from descending into darkness.
Now for the story of finding a replacement backup power solution on a budget. From starting with a UPS so small it could fit in my pocket (well, almost) to scavenging for second-hand inverters like a digital pirate, the journey was an adventure.
But despite the bumps and bruises (both to our ego and our limbs), I emerged victorious with a trusty Eco Volt Neo 900VA UPS and enough batteries to power a small village (or at least my homelab). And yes, before you ask, getting that behemoth up two flights of stairs was a workout worthy of an Olympic medal. Let's just say we won't be signing up for any moving company gigs anytime soon.
Now, as I gear up to tackle the hardware side of things, I can't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Who knew that managing electricity in a homelab could be as entertaining as a sitcom rerun? But hey, you've got to learn to laugh in the face of adversity, right? So here's to the electrifying journey ahead—may the volts be ever in our favor!