Repurposing an old PC as a NAS seemed smart until I checked the power bill
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Repurposing an old desktop PC as a NAS can save money upfront, but the hidden cost is electricity. Desktop-class CPUs aren't designed for efficiency and can idle at 50W or more, pushing a full system with spinning drives to around 150W continuously. At $0.40/kWh, that adds up to roughly $525/year. Vendor NAS appliances publish power specs, but DIY builds require a smart plug or power meter to measure real draw. PSU efficiency curves, drive count, and drive capacity all compound the problem. The author ultimately consolidated from six 4TB drives to two 14TB drives to reduce power draw, and recommends monitoring consumption before committing to old hardware for always-on workloads.
