Battery Status Monitor: Keep Your Linux Server Safe from Power Failures

As more people convert old laptops into home servers, managing battery life becomes crucial. Today, I'm excited to share project that solves this exact problem: a web-based Battery Status Monitor with automatic shutdown capabilities for Linux systems.

Source Code on Github

Who Should Use This?

Home lab enthusiasts running servers on laptops
Developers using laptop-based development servers
Anyone running Linux services on battery-powered devices

Why You Need This

Imagine your laptop-server running critical services suddenly dies due to battery drain. Not good, right? This tool helps by:

Providing real-time battery monitoring through a web interface
Automatically scheduling safe shutdowns when battery is low
Preventing data loss from unexpected power-offs
Offering remote monitoring capabilities

Key Features

1. Web-Based Monitoring

Clean, modern interface showing battery percentage, charging status, and detailed metrics
Accessible from any device on your network
Auto-refreshing status updates every 30 seconds

2. Smart Power Management

Monitors battery status every 5 minutes
Automatically schedules shutdown when battery drops below 20%
Cancels scheduled shutdowns if power is restored
Detailed logging of all actions

3. Easy Integration

RESTful API endpoint for system integration
Simple setup process
Runs as a system service
Minimal resource usage

When to Use

Running home automation servers on old laptops
Development environments on portable machines
Temporary server setups with unreliable power
Backup systems that need graceful shutdown

Technical Benefits

1. Resource Efficient

Written in Python using Tornado framework
Minimal CPU and memory footprint
Non-blocking asynchronous operations

2. Security Focused

Runs on localhost by default
CORS enabled for API access
Supports reverse proxy setups

3. Reliability

Continuous monitoring and logging
Automatic recovery from errors
Failsafe shutdown mechanisms

Getting Started


git clone https://github.com/01one/battery-status-on-linux-laptop-as-a-server.git
cd battery-status-on-linux-laptop-as-a-server
pip install -r requirements.txt
sudo python3 app.py

Pro Tips

System Service Setup
- Configure as a systemd service for automatic startup
- Enable log rotation for long-term use
Remote Access
- Use Nginx as a reverse proxy
- Set up Cloudflare Tunnel for secure remote access
- Enable HTTPS for security
Customization
- Adjust threshold values for your needs
- Modify shutdown delay timing
- Customize the web interface

Real-World Applications

1. Home Lab Scenarios

Running Server From a laptop
Home media servers
Development environments

2. Small Office Setups

Backup servers
Testing environments
Temporary deployments

This Battery Status Monitor fills a crucial gap in laptop-based server setups. It's a must-have tool for anyone running Linux services on battery-powered devices. The combination of web interface, automatic shutdown, and easy setup makes it an invaluable addition to your server management toolkit.

Remember: Prevention is better than cure. Don't wait for a battery-related disaster to implement proper power management for your servers.

Feel free to contribute to the project on GitHub or share your experiences

programmerbee