So I have this silly idea/longterm project of wanting to run a server on renewables on my farm. And I would like to reuse the heat generated by the server, for example to heat a grow room, or simply my house. How much heat does a server produce, and where would you consider it best applied? Has anyone built such a thing?

  • ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1·
    8 months ago

    As far as heating efficiency goes, servers aren’t really that good. 100% efficiency as all the electricity they use ends up as heat. Compare with heat pumps that can get 300+% efficiency.

    What I do is have my server in the same “room” as my water heater (share airspace), and use a heat pump electric water heater.

    At least then all the heat my server makes is used for something good, instead of extra AC usage in summer (winter is a wash, as I need the heat in the house anyways)

    • schmorp@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
      1·
      8 months ago

      I wonder how to take on the efficiency question when considering waste heat. Would and older model generating more heat be the better choice? Has anybody started to dig into the complexities of calculating efficiency for circular systems?