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submitted 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) by Floopquist@lemmy.org to c/linux@lemmy.ml

Hello,

I just found out about TLP - a module to download with apt, which is a good utility for maintaining the laptop battery. You can set a minimum charge value, and a maximum charge value. But it is not sufficient for my use case. My question is - is there any utility I can use to discharge the battery WHILE connected to AC?

The reason behind this is: I want to use the solar power during the day to charge up the battery to 80 or 90% and then discharge the battery in the evening to 15-20%. Afterwards use AC power again. The solar energy during mid-day is cheaper and available in abundance.

On a big level with many computers this could make a good impact on the energy network, or am I wrong?

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[-] Jumuta@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 hours ago

modern laptops are like 8w right? it's probably a few orders of magnitude lower than the power consumption of your appliances

[-] Floopquist@lemmy.org 1 points 51 minutes ago

The converter says "Output: 65W" So it would be something, and a good place to start as the battery is there anyway and is plugged in all the time too, anyway.

[-] mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 6 hours ago

I don't know but is that power actually worth more than battery cycles due to discharging and recharging?

[-] mlfh@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 11 hours ago

Some laptop battery firmware allows you to force discharge even when connected to AC, and if your laptop can use the tlp recalibrate or tlp discharge commands then yours is supported.

I use this to power my thinkpad servers off of their own batteries during a power outage, to reduce load on my UPS. Great feature.

[-] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 hours ago

Interesting setup. How would you tell your Thinkpads if there's a power outage?

[-] Intheflsun@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

I've got a 2021 Dell laptop. In uefi, you can set charge times and type of charge, 50%,80%, full, and smart. I think it's in like 1/2 hour blocks by day. By that I mean on (day of week) from 9:30am to 6:00pm charge full, different day may have different settings. .

[-] nanook@friendica.eskimo.com 1 points 9 hours ago

@Intheflsun @Floopquist What I meant is that I do not think you can have it discharge the battery when AC is present without altering the PD chips firmware.

[-] IrritableOcelot@beehaw.org 1 points 7 hours ago

Well, you will have excess solar power during the day, so just keep it plugged in to the solar while solar is available. Then, just unplug the laptop in the evening until you get to 15-20%.

Trying to force the laptop to discharge while plugged in is colossally more trouble than it's worth.

[-] Floopquist@lemmy.org 1 points 46 minutes ago

Unplugging by hand is a bad solution. I want to have this even when I am not at home, it has to be automated.

[-] LumpyPancakes@lemm.ee 6 points 12 hours ago

Sounds like a smart socket might do what you need, externally, with some coding.

[-] Floopquist@lemmy.org 1 points 45 minutes ago

Thank you, I like the idea. Will research in this way.

[-] nanook@friendica.eskimo.com 1 points 12 hours ago

@Floopquist I don't think that you can do that without altering the firmware on the PD chip.

this post was submitted on 14 May 2025
22 points (92.3% liked)

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