CarPlay/Android Auto unit and phone charger installed with solid 3D printed mounts

[SwampNut]

We all know why we need CarPlay, that's been hashed out repeatedly. I got this unit a few months ago and ran it with the included suction cup mount to make sure it would be useful and that I liked the utility. It was great, but the mount sucked. I then went without CP for a month, to be sure I did miss it, and of course, yes, it's important and valuable.

So I modified an existing 3D printed mount model to fit better for my needs. The original one would have put this screen slightly over the main screen, at least from my seating position. I think it was meant for a smaller screen, this one is pretty big. The result is a very solid mount that doesn't wobble around. I then moved my phone mount from a typical right of steering wheel dash mount, to the one on the left. I won't need to interact with the phone much now with CP, but still want the phone visible for when I do, and plus CP mapping gives you a great big text-based turn by turn screen on the phone automatically.

There are a few wiring and install videos available out there, so I didn't really try to cover those things in detail. But one recommendation I see a lot is to use a particular fuse that stays on. This is not good at all, so I had to find another option.




EDIT to add: All products and files are linked in the video description.

3D Print Files Links:

https://www.printables.com/model/1062514-rivian-r1tr1s-dash-mount-for-carplayandroid-auto-s
https://www.printables.com/model/554385-opensourceev-left-side-phone-ball-mount-v2-for-riv

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[angled_oxen]

Nice! Could you share the STL file(s)?

 

[SwampNut]

Nice! Could you share the STL file(s)?

All of the products and files are linked on the YT page.

 

[Spaceball1]

Oh that mount looks a little sturdier than the one I designed. Might have to give it a try.

Couple of questions:

1. Have you tried the phone charging much with direct sunlight? I have a MagSafe aftermarket console pad and works great unless the sun comes in, then the phone overheats pretty easily. Curious how it does on that mount and location.

2. For the wiring you did, I assume that fuse you tapped into acts the same as the 12V plug under dash (mine is vintage enough to have it)? I still would like to find a power source that doesn’t turn on my CP unit when walking around my truck in the garage, and instead require the “ignition” to be activated first. Wasn’t quite clear in the video since the truck went to sleep first.

 

[SwampNut]

1. Have you tried the phone charging much with direct sunlight? I have a MagSafe aftermarket console pad and works great unless the sun comes in, then the phone overheats pretty easily. Curious how it does on that mount and location.

I just moved the mount to the left side, it had been on the right. The right position gets more sun, and the left position also gets some cooling air from the vent, so I expect it to be cooler. I specifically chose a mount with a heatsink and a fan, because I've had issues with overheating before, being in AZ. I do have a windshield coating ("tint" but not dark just rejects heat and UV). With this mount I've occasionally had the screen dim slightly to the first "I'm warm" setting, but not overheat or turn off. It's warm at most, not hot.

2. For the wiring you did, I assume that fuse you tapped into acts the same as the 12V plug under dash (mine is vintage enough to have it)? I still would like to find a power source that doesn’t turn on my CP unit when walking around my truck in the garage, and instead require the “ignition” to be activated first. Wasn’t quite clear in the video since the truck went to sleep first.

This is also an annoyance for me, with the truck in the driveway and the fact that I am out there doing work all the time and activating it. I think I'm going to have to turn off the auto-unlock at home. I'm not aware of any fuse that is "ignition only" like a car. That would be great. That fuse is indeed just one of the 12v outlets and behaves the same way they do.

 

[R1TandMe]

IMHO That’s a lot of shit just to drive a car.

 

[Mellowyellow]

We all know why we need CarPlay, that's been hashed out repeatedly. I got this unit a few months ago and ran it with the included suction cup mount to make sure it would be useful and that I liked the utility. It was great, but the mount sucked. I then went without CP for a month, to be sure I did miss it, and of course, yes, it's important and valuable.

So I modified an existing 3D printed mount model to fit better for my needs. The original one would have put this screen slightly over the main screen, at least from my seating position. I think it was meant for a smaller screen, this one is pretty big. The result is a very solid mount that doesn't wobble around. I then moved my phone mount from a typical right of steering wheel dash mount, to the one on the left. I won't need to interact with the phone much now with CP, but still want the phone visible for when I do, and plus CP mapping gives you a great big text-based turn by turn screen on the phone automatically.

There are a few wiring and install videos available out there, so I didn't really try to cover those things in detail. But one recommendation I see a lot is to use a particular fuse that stays on. This is not good at all, so I had to find another option.




EDIT to add: All products and files are linked in the video description.

3D Print Files Links:

https://www.printables.com/model/1062514-rivian-r1tr1s-dash-mount-for-carplayandroid-auto-s
https://www.printables.com/model/554385-opensourceev-left-side-phone-ball-mount-v2-for-riv

If you had CarPlay would you still mount your phone?

 

[SwampNut]

If you had CarPlay would you still mount your phone?

I do have CarPlay, and I do mount my phone. I'm confused by the question since, well, the video and pics show both...?

IMHO That’s a lot of shit just to drive a car.

Agreed!

 

[Mellowyellow]

Sorry I meant in a different car with native car play would you still mount a phone?

I do have CarPlay, and I do mount my phone. I'm confused by the question since, well, the video and pics show both...?



Agreed!

 

[SwampNut]

Sorry I meant in a different car with native car play would you still mount a phone?

Ah, I always have, yes. Every vehicle I have has a mount; cars, motorcycles, bicycle. It's a good place to keep and charge the phone, and there are still uses for it outside of CP or with CP, when it's safe to do so. With CP on, the phone becomes a big-font list of turn by turn directions, which can be useful. Glance over and see your time to the next turn and name of the street. And if the car's on self driving in a place that's safe, I'll view other things on the phone or use other things.

 

[Mellowyellow]

I have a radiologist friend who works from home and he’s got a million monitors set up at his desk and I always joke around with him that he’s trying to recreate his work space in his car ( he also has a minimum of 3 screens in the car mounted ) for all his gadgets

 

[SwampNut]

I've cut back on the total number of monitors at my desk, by getting a 5k-2k that's 40" wide...

I haven't put a CP screen on the motorcycles, so far.

 

[Mellowyellow]

I've cut back on the total number of monitors at my desk, by getting a 5k-2k that's 40" wide...

I haven't put a CP screen on the motorcycles, so far.

Sir, that is a TV

 

[Spaceball1]

I just moved the mount to the left side, it had been on the right. The right position gets more sun, and the left position also gets some cooling air from the vent, so I expect it to be cooler. I specifically chose a mount with a heatsink and a fan, because I've had issues with overheating before, being in AZ. I do have a windshield coating ("tint" but not dark just rejects heat and UV). With this mount I've occasionally had the screen dim slightly to the first "I'm warm" setting, but not overheat or turn off. It's warm at most, not hot.



This is also an annoyance for me, with the truck in the driveway and the fact that I am out there doing work all the time and activating it. I think I'm going to have to turn off the auto-unlock at home. I'm not aware of any fuse that is "ignition only" like a car. That would be great. That fuse is indeed just one of the 12v outlets and behaves the same way they do.

Thanks for the feedback! I may do that mount too just to avoid the overheating especially in road trips. I end up just plugging in the phone the old fashioned way and it doesn’t seem to overheat at all that way.

I spent half a day once removing every fuse one by one from both fuse blocks trying to find a true ignition source. I’m shocked (pun intended) that I couldn’t find a single one. ?

 

[SwampNut]

I’m shocked (pun intended) that I couldn’t find a single one.

Puns are tough. I once told ten of them in a row, to see if at least one would get a laugh. But no pun in ten did.

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