So I have finally built my NAS. I used an N100 CPU because I saw it has low power consumption.

Right now I have 2 NVMe SSDs and 2 HDDs. I have installed proxmox on the 2 SSDs as RAID1. I have not partitioned the HDDs yet, they are just plugged in and powered on.

Just booting into proxmox, without any VMs or containers running, I am pulling 45W from the wall. This looks super high to me, and I’m afraid that starting to use the HDDs and running some VMs may double this…

I don’t have much references, but I have an Odroid with an external self-powered HDD, it is using 5W. I have a raspberry pi 4 with an external HDD, the raspberry is pulling 3W and the HDD 3W.

With these data, I was thinking I wouldn’t go over 20W. 45W is enormous and not something I can run 24/7, kind of a fail for a NAS…

Have I done something wrong or is it just how much it’s supposed to pull?

Edit: I have come across powertop. Using the auto tune, I was able to drop to 33-35W. I have unplugged the HDDs and dropped to 22W. I guess I cannot go lower, this may be because of the PSU or the 2 NVMe

  • whereisk@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    8 months ago

    I’m running a n100 16gb with a 256ssd, 4vms and 4 docker images, it’s pulling 7-9w.

    • Kwa@derpzilla.netOPEnglish
      2·
      8 months ago

      Thanks, this is really efficient. I now have good hopes that changing my PSU should bring me closer to this

      • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
        2·
        8 months ago

        You still won’t see that low of power consumption when you have something custom built.

        With that being said you have a lot of room for improvement

      • whereisk@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        8 months ago

        It’s literally one of those little known brand nuc, tiny box - beelink I think. Total cost $200 or so - it’s been running non stop for the last 3 months without an issue. I don’t think it even has a fan in there.

        • paf@jlai.luEnglish
          1·
          8 months ago

          Curious, might have same machine but do consume a bit more, do you have one SSD + one nvme?

          • whereisk@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            8 months ago

            Sorry, I must have been too tired, got nearly all details wrong: 32GB RAM 1TB M.2, USB3.2, BT4.2,WiFi 5,4k HDMI, Gigabit Port, and not a Beelink but a DreamQuest. There’s just the M2 interface disk connected, no SSD.