I just spent a good chunk of today migrating some services onto new docker containers in Proxmox LXCs.
As I was updating my network diagram, I was struck by just how many services, hosts, and LXCs I’m running, so counted everything up.
- 116 docker containers
- Running on 25 docker hosts
- 50 are the same on each docker host - Watchtower and Portainer agent
- 38 Proxmox LXCs (19 are docker hosts)
- 8 physical servers
- 7 VLANs
- 5 SSIDs
- 2 NASes
So, it got me wondering about the size of other people’s homelabs. What are your stats?
Well, considering going from a 40W idle system to 80 to 100W is a >100% increase in power.
In Belgium we pay 0.30€ per kWh, so running the entire year at 80W average is approximately 150€ difference with idle the entire year. That definitely helps. That is 1/3 the cost of a lawnmower or a month of groceries.
But in the winter it is a 80-100W small heater that can keep a local area a degree or so warmer.
When you start paying your own power bill it really adds up. I wish I had gone for an intel NUC sometimes.
I see your electric is about 2.2x the cost of mine, so yes that’s significant. Was mostly pointing at your net impact to heating in winter, which in your case is only an additional 40-60W from baseline. That’s effectively an extra Type A light bulb in your room. This is more of a savings during hot months than effectively heating during cold months.
It really depends on the size of the space. It does a lot more in a room of 8m^2 than 20m^2. There is a reason that a 40W incandescent bulb is used to ferment foods like yogurt in an oven. It produces enough heat to keep the whole oven at fermenting temps.