The Monitor Is A Real Energy Hog: 23 Watts When In Use
A TFT monitor normally runs off conventional A/C power, but our solar-powered rig delivers 16 Volts DC. We also had to drive the monitor from our power supply, to meet our design goal of grid independence.
The LG L1900R-BF TFT
Fortunately, there are TFT monitors available on the market that work with their own external power supplies, including some models that accept 12 Volt input (primarily for automotive use). Our solar-powered PC delivers stable power at 12 V, so we were able to connect directly to such a TFT, bypassing its own power brick completely.
We didn't need the LG monitor's power supply
The monitor PSU outputs 12 Volts
We selected the LG Flatron L1900R-BF as our TFT, with its external 12-volt power supply. We removed the power supply hookup, and replaced it with a standard Molex connector, so we could connect the monitor directly to the solar-powered PC's power supply.