wireless phone charger

Sometimes I am jealous of other people, and I think: I want that too. For instance somebody whom inherits 100 million dollars from a former army general of Khadafi.

• I installed myself a cheap Chinese rear-view camera in my Suzuki Grand Vitara after my wife bought a new car with a rear view camera some 5 years ago, (she still doesn’t look at it).
• And one of my sons bought a hybrid Audi one year ago, with a wireless charger inside for his cell phone, waw, nice.

Therefore, I was looking for a way to install such a wireless charger in my Grenadier. That’s why I dismounted some stuff some days ago, and tried to install a powerful 12V fed wireless charger under the trim parts, see one of my previous posts “some more dismounting”. I blew up 15 euro and a fuse while testing this, and gave up.
I failed, but I had an USB-C fed less powerful wireless Chinese charger (they are all Chinese, even those with German or South Korean branding), 4.50 euro including shipping!

This is the final result in my Grenadier (picture somehow blurry, but I guess most of you will understand). Beware, the USB connector isn’t connected to the phone, you will understand in the next pictures.



How did I do it:

• I removed the front phone tray
• and used some stuff I had, a grey plastic sheet of 3 mm thickness, recuperation of a plastic semi-transparent handle of a cardboard box, etc. (red crossed screw and hole are a tryout that I dismissed).

And did cut some pieces out of the plastic (by hand with some electrical hobby tools I inherited from my father)

Then assembled it yesterday with double side adhesive tape (with some small last-minute changes)




Today I had to drive, and tested it fully (motorway and city). USB-C can come either from the cubby box, either from the rear passenger USB-C charging point.
Conclusions:

• I would have liked to place it invisibly under the trim of the phone tray, perhaps I will still do it (with another more powerful wireless charger)
• With a permanent power supply (when the motor is on)
• Mine isn’t water proof (but quite easy to solve)
• I need to think about a way to “fix” my phone on the wireless charger, so that it can’t glide off when you make a strong turn.
• The fixing of the wireless charger on the trim (with double sided adhesive) isn’t very good either)
• But I am happy with my first result, it works: phone in the car, no wires, charging, and connected wireless to my infotainment screen.
• I can dismount it whenever I like.
• As an electronics engineer, I like to have a transparent window showing me the components, but I understand that not everybody is fond of such un-aesthetic things.

All comments, negative, positive, improvement tips, warnings, are welcome.

Is this necessary for a 4X4? No, not at all: map, shovel, tire-fort, compass, water, food and mainly brains. And some other stuff, not a wireless charger for the phone. But I had fun

Hi all
To stop the sliding around, I have a phone case with a magnet in it, the phone holder (currently loosely mounted on an air vent) has a steel ring in it with the conductive charging element built in. It comfortably holds my Note 22 phone and charges it. Perhaps something like that could be modified to a lie flat point somewhere.
I can take a photo and post tonight if you are interested.
I don't recall the cost, but it works quite well in my old Prado. I did also update the old power outlet to a dual usb/usbc higher amp outlet to supply decent charge.
Pedro

How wide, deep and long is the armrest cubby? I might have a idea for those that wireless charging

In the previous posts above I had a working, but ugly wireless charging solution, still connected to one of the USB ports with a cable.
I improved it yesterday.
My “Chinese” wireless charger (see posts above) is USB-C powered, or 5V DC. You can buy 12V powered units (easier to install, one step less), but I wanted to use the one I bought.

I had in one of my boxes an old TOMTOM 12V to 5V/2A car charger unit:


I connected it to my wireless charger (by soldering wires to the 5V connection points) and the 12V input to a fuse splitter (a trick I learned on this forum!):


I then mounted the TOMTOM “transformer” under the central left trim and the splitter went to the dashboard fuse box:


I decided to use fuse FC22 to place the splitter. For my wireless charger I could have used a 1A fuse, as my TomTom has a 2A fuse in the 5V output (that’s about 10W), therefore 1A for 12V is equivalent for the input. I measured about 0.6A at the 12V input. But, as I don’t have a 1A fuse I did place a 5A fuse (to be adapted later):



My wireless charger was placed at the same position as before (apart from small changes):


I made a new “built on purpose” “cover” for the charger, with:

• Two plastic light transferring studs, because the wireless charger has two status LEDs (Light Emitting Diode)
• A hole for my extruding camera of my Samsung S20 Ultra

And mounted the stuff:

• Red light: system active, no cell phone charging
• Blue light: cell phone charging

The light transferring studs do block my phone from flying around when taking a curve on the road, as well as the window (hole) "built on purpose" for the camera of my phone.
Of course, not very “professional” yet, but better than before.

Comments are welcome.

If a professional guy wants to copy it, or improve it for commercial purposes: welcome, no copyright, but I hope he gives me as a reward for my “research effort" a free “commercial” version of his sellable product.

ADVAW8S said:

How wide, deep and long is the armrest cubby? I might have a idea for those that wireless charging

Click to expand...

The cubby is about 19 X 14 cm and 12 cm deep.

This is indeed a possible location for a wireless charger, and I have 3 power points in the cubby (USB-C, USB, and 12V), but I didn't like the idea of putting my phone in the cubby.

Jean Mercier said:

The cubby is about 19 X 14 cm and 12 cm deep.

This is indeed a possible location for a wireless charger, and I have 3 power points in the cubby (USB-C, USB, and 12V), but I didn't like the idea of putting my phone in the cubby.

Click to expand...

This is genius, well done!

Devilishly clever Mr @Jean Mercier

Got my Grenadier last month (Dec 23). Here's what I've done to mount my mobile phone and have it charge while keeping it out of the way and safely secure while driving. I use it with Android Auto, so I'm not trying to look at or use the phone directly, rather mount it so that it doesn't move and allow it to charge.... and be easily accessible.

The mount is by Quad Lock https://www.quadlockcase.com/. This is a wireless charging mount and I've run the power cable under the trim (without taking it off) to the cubby and plugged into the USB A port. In the picture below, I've highlighted in red and yellow where the cable goes. You can simply push the cable into the space between the panels of the vehicle and they stay. Note that I did have to get a longer USB C (plugs into the charging head) to USB A cable; what comes with the charging head is not long enough. I provided a screenshot of the parts I bought. If you have a iphone, samsung or pixel... they have a case that you can buy that integrates the adaptor into their case. Otherwise, you have to get a universal adaptor and mount it yourself. I did this directly to the phone and have a cut-out in the back of my protective case; reason being that the thickness of the case was too much and wouldn't allow the wireless sensor to engage. Below is a pic of my Thinkphone and what it looks like. This is a robust way to hold the phone, charge it and not have to make any changes to the Grenadier.

Jean Mercier said:

Sometimes I am jealous of other people, and I think: I want that too. For instance somebody whom inherits 100 million dollars from a former army general of Khadafi.

• I installed myself a cheap Chinese rear-view camera in my Suzuki Grand Vitara after my wife bought a new car with a rear view camera some 5 years ago, (she still doesn’t look at it).
• And one of my sons bought a hybrid Audi one year ago, with a wireless charger inside for his cell phone, waw, nice.

Therefore, I was looking for a way to install such a wireless charger in my Grenadier. That’s why I dismounted some stuff some days ago, and tried to install a powerful 12V fed wireless charger under the trim parts, see one of my previous posts “some more dismounting”. I blew up 15 euro and a fuse while testing this, and gave up.
I failed, but I had an USB-C fed less powerful wireless Chinese charger (they are all Chinese, even those with German or South Korean branding), 4.50 euro including shipping!

This is the final result in my Grenadier (picture somehow blurry, but I guess most of you will understand). Beware, the USB connector isn’t connected to the phone, you will understand in the next pictures.
View attachment 7821368


How did I do it:

• I removed the front phone tray
• and used some stuff I had, a grey plastic sheet of 3 mm thickness, recuperation of a plastic semi-transparent handle of a cardboard box, etc. (red crossed screw and hole are a tryout that I dismissed).

View attachment 7821369View attachment 7821370
View attachment 7821371
And did cut some pieces out of the plastic (by hand with some electrical hobby tools I inherited from my father)

Then assembled it yesterday with double side adhesive tape (with some small last-minute changes)
View attachment 7821372
View attachment 7821373
View attachment 7821374

Today I had to drive, and tested it fully (motorway and city). USB-C can come either from the cubby box, either from the rear passenger USB-C charging point.
Conclusions:

• I would have liked to place it invisibly under the trim of the phone tray, perhaps I will still do it (with another more powerful wireless charger)
• With a permanent power supply (when the motor is on)
• Mine isn’t water proof (but quite easy to solve)
• I need to think about a way to “fix” my phone on the wireless charger, so that it can’t glide off when you make a strong turn.
• The fixing of the wireless charger on the trim (with double sided adhesive) isn’t very good either)
• But I am happy with my first result, it works: phone in the car, no wires, charging, and connected wireless to my infotainment screen.
• I can dismount it whenever I like.
• As an electronics engineer, I like to have a transparent window showing me the components, but I understand that not everybody is fond of such un-aesthetic things.

All comments, negative, positive, improvement tips, warnings, are welcome.

Is this necessary for a 4X4? No, not at all: map, shovel, tire-fort, compass, water, food and mainly brains. And some other stuff, not a wireless charger for the phone. But I had fun

Click to expand...

Love the way you write. Informative and amusing. Please keep it up.

Cheshire cat said:

Love the way you write. Informative and amusing. Please keep it up.

Click to expand...

I love my Grenadier, I dislike my "Mercedes" Hedin dealer and Ineos Automotive for not sharing information, I love this forum for sharing ... I like to share
Jim Rad ... did a fantastic job with his money, but I am wondering if he knows about customer satisfaction

Thanks for the compliment

Jean Mercier said:

I love my Grenadier, I dislike my "Mercedes" Hedin dealer and Ineos Automotive for not sharing information, I love this forum for sharing ... I like to share
Jim Rad ... did a fantastic job with his money, but I am wondering if he knows about customer satisfaction

Thanks for the compliment

Click to expand...

It would be interesting to find out what Mercedes customers of Hedin think of their customer service .
Was their Ineos dealership "thrust upon them" from a greater parent company

Eric said:

It would be interesting to find out what Mercedes customers of Hedin think of their customer service .
Was their Ineos dealership "thrust upon them" from a greater parent company

Click to expand...

Hedin is a Swedish Company (at least present in Belgium, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Holland, and some other countries): they made an agreement with Ineos! Shame on Ineos ... Hedin isn't a 4x4 minded company. In other countries, Germany, France, Australia, USA, Ineos works with independent dealers.

Eric said:

It would be interesting to find out what Mercedes customers of Hedin think of their customer service .
Was their Ineos dealership "thrust upon them" from a greater parent company

Click to expand...

Well, they just sit there typing at there laptops and drinking free coffee, waiting for the maintenance guy finishing his job. These mercedes drivers know nothing about cars, they only like the interior and the Mercedes logo. Most are company cars, so the bill is sent to the leasing company. That’s why it is so frustrating for us, and that the head of service can’t bend his head around it. Customers (grenadier customer) who are asking questions about car technics? Customers who are asking how to dismantle there door trims/cards? Customers who know things about there cars where he as head of service never heard of…. In my or our case it’s just the wrong dealer. A car as a Grenadier doesn’t belong in a fancy garage with carpet and lounge chairs. It should be more as my Scania dealer. Questions about your truck/rig? Just pop in the garage and squeeze your head between chassis and motor together with a technician. My grenadier is a machine, a workhorse, a tool, not a fancy salon with four wheels and a logo.

Sorry to unleash a bit of my frustration, but I want to make my hands dirty on that thing!

Voader - Oudersopzwier said:

Well, they just sit there typing at there laptops and drinking free coffee, waiting for the maintenance guy finishing his job. These mercedes drivers know nothing about cars, they only like the interior and the Mercedes logo. Most are company cars, so the bill is sent to the leasing company. That’s why it is so frustrating for us, and that the head of service can’t bend his head around it. Customers (grenadier customer) who are asking questions about car technics? Customers who are asking how to dismantle there door trims/cards? Customers who know things about there cars where he as head of service never heard of…. In my or our case it’s just the wrong dealer. A car as a Grenadier doesn’t belong in a fancy garage with carpet and lounge chairs. It should be more as my Scania dealer. Questions about your truck/rig? Just pop in the garage and squeeze your head between chassis and motor together with a technician. My grenadier is a machine, a workhorse, a tool, not a fancy salon with four wheels and a logo.

Sorry to unleash a bit of my frustration, but I want to make my hands dirty on that thing!

Click to expand...

I am sure we have the same dealer

I

Voader - Oudersopzwier said:

Well, they just sit there typing at there laptops and drinking free coffee, waiting for the maintenance guy finishing his job. These mercedes drivers know nothing about cars, they only like the interior and the Mercedes logo. Most are company cars, so the bill is sent to the leasing company. That’s why it is so frustrating for us, and that the head of service can’t bend his head around it. Customers (grenadier customer) who are asking questions about car technics? Customers who are asking how to dismantle there door trims/cards? Customers who know things about there cars where he as head of service never heard of…. In my or our case it’s just the wrong dealer. A car as a Grenadier doesn’t belong in a fancy garage with carpet and lounge chairs. It should be more as my Scania dealer. Questions about your truck/rig? Just pop in the garage and squeeze your head between chassis and motor together with a technician. My grenadier is a machine, a workhorse, a tool, not a fancy salon with four wheels and a logo.

Sorry to unleash a bit of my frustration, but I want to make my hands dirty on that thing!

Click to expand...

Voader - Oudersopzwier said:

Well, they just sit there typing at there laptops and drinking free coffee, waiting for the maintenance guy finishing his job. These mercedes drivers know nothing about cars, they only like the interior and the Mercedes logo. Most are company cars, so the bill is sent to the leasing company. That’s why it is so frustrating for us, and that the head of service can’t bend his head around it. Customers (grenadier customer) who are asking questions about car technics? Customers who are asking how to dismantle there door trims/cards? Customers who know things about there cars where he as head of service never heard of…. In my or our case it’s just the wrong dealer. A car as a Grenadier doesn’t belong in a fancy garage with carpet and lounge chairs. It should be more as my Scania dealer. Questions about your truck/rig? Just pop in the garage and squeeze your head between chassis and motor together with a technician. My grenadier is a machine, a workhorse, a tool, not a fancy salon with four wheels and a logo.

Sorry to unleash a bit of my frustration, but I want to make my hands dirty on that thing!

Click to expand...

Ironically, a good friend of mine who is a haulage contractor with his own fleet, has had similar experiences from Scania.
I agree completely with what you say. A very similar experience at my BMW dealership with regards to our BMW car and motorcycle. Yet to fully experience the Grenadier side of the business but early days look more promising.

Jean Mercier said:

... Hedin isn't a 4x4 minded company.

Click to expand...

Not too many of the US dealers are either (based on their portfolios) but I think they want to become that way - which is a good thing. Hopefully they can truly commit themselves to the task at hand. When I saw some of the other brands US IA dealers held - Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley amongst others - it was a bit startling. I think of the IG as a blue collar truck (despite its price point) and in that light it doesn’t seem to fit with the others. It will be interesting to see how these initial dealers develop over the next year or so.