Wireless charging pad useless. Any changes imminent?

[Carmelbythesea]

My rivian is getting some work, so rivian gave me a rental. I got a polestar. The wireless charging works great but the have angled it up and away from you. This afternoon the phone was a few degrees shy of cooking an egg. I just order the magsafe aftermarket found on this forum.

On a completely random side note -

I updated the polestars software. It's a rental and people are lazy. To my surprise they shot out an OTA with apple carplay. Oh how I missed carplay haven't had it in 3+ years of owning teslas, but the joy of skipping +15 via the screen.

Mine works fine but the phone gets hot because of where the charging pad is located. The sun coming in, the wireless charging, YouTube Music chugging along is a trifecta combo that heats the phone up pretty quick. OnePlus 8 Pro, in a case.

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[momo3605]

I'm of the opinion that the wireless charger, as it's currently designed, is basically unworkable. IMHO there is too much space between the charging coils in the charger and the coil in the back of your phone. Assuming you have a case installed (any case, really) it's nearly a CM of space which is WAY too far for it to establish and hold a connection.

They could theoretically put some ridges or whatnot in the rubber mat to keep phones in place, but that wouldn't solve the problem at hand.

Sounds like a clusterf***. I run caseless with iPhone 12 and it charges quick when it’s in the right spot…but that doesn’t last more than a few seconds when driving lol.
I just ordered your solution. Who knows how long we’ll have to wait for rivian to revise the part.

 

[Jblaze121]

Has anyone tried one of the MagSafe sticker magnets? Just curious if you found the sweet spot, maybe just put one of those on the pad

 

[verchalent]

This simply isn’t true. Check this thread or just about any discussion about wireless charging on Rivian. The Androids that aren’t set up to prefer MagSafe work better (less bad?) and are less temperamental than any recent iPhone. There’s even a guy on this thread who said his non-MagSafe iPhone works better in the Rivian than the newer ones.

I do not need to check the thread as I have personally tested with multiple iPhones and Android phones. So, I can tell you both are terrible. My daily driver is a Pixel and the charge pad is useless for me.

If most people complain about charging regardless of phone type, it's a design issue not an Apple specific issue.So we should focus on pushing a better approach not a solve for a single phone type/vendor type.

 

[AO_Pete]

I mean, look at it (credit to @anotherburrito for the pic). There's 3 layers of coils, apparently biased to the driver at least, so the sweetest of sweetspots is slightly left of center, but it's just crazy. They've tried to go for a 'just drop it anywhere' approach, and totally screwed it up. With my 13 Pro Max, it started to charge once, for a few seconds, until I moved. That was a glorious moment, I'll never forget it. Just a couple of recessed trays, to hold the phone(s) in place, and to assure Qi alignment, would have been so much better.

 

[staples]

Prototype in wood holds my Pixel 6 well. I want to make a good version stained to match.

 

[momo3605]

Prototype in wood holds my Pixel 6 well. I want to make a good version stained to match.

Great idea, still wouldn't work for me with the thickness of the pad+case (at least with iphone). You can leave it on there for 30 mins, and the charge level will remain the same.

 

[MNLightning]

I mean, look at it (credit to @anotherburrito for the pic). There's 3 layers of coils, apparently biased to the driver at least, so the sweetest of sweetspots is slightly left of center, but it's just crazy. They've tried to go for a 'just drop it anywhere' approach, and totally screwed it up. With my 13 Pro Max, it started to charge once, for a few seconds, until I moved. That was a glorious moment, I'll never forget it. Just a couple of recessed trays, to hold the phone(s) in place, and to assure Qi alignment, would have been so much better.

Totally agree, all the charging pad does for me is keep my phone toasty without charging it. I think the same team is in charge of the infotainment system too.

 

[RWerksman]

Has anyone tried one of the MagSafe sticker magnets? Just curious if you found the sweet spot, maybe just put one of those on the pad

Yes, no improvement.

 

[momo3605]

Yes, no improvement.

I tried without a case. It kinda works. The magnet isn’t super strong, but it does hold if you’re under 0.3Gs or so. Ofc with a case, the thickness becomes an issue

 

[LLJJ]

Just get the MagBak wireless charging mount for tesla screens and the Magbak case. Really solid and works great.

 

[SACDFJC]

Hmmmm.... I honestly haven't paid much attention to the charging pad, but my pixel 6 pro seems to stay charged "enough" when i drive my truck. We did a road trip and both my phone and wifey's iphone were charged when we arrived. Maybe this isn't an issue unless you look at your phone.

 

[jwardell]

I mean, look at it (credit to @anotherburrito for the pic). There's 3 layers of coils, apparently biased to the driver at least, so the sweetest of sweetspots is slightly left of center, but it's just crazy. They've tried to go for a 'just drop it anywhere' approach, and totally screwed it up. With my 13 Pro Max, it started to charge once, for a few seconds, until I moved. That was a glorious moment, I'll never forget it. Just a couple of recessed trays, to hold the phone(s) in place, and to assure Qi alignment, would have been so much better.

I'm just seeing this. Hoolllly what a mess! Did we not all learn this would not work when Apple tried to do the same with their charge pad than retracted it? At least I know where to go when I need a bunch of Litz wire.

 

[yizzung]

I do not need to check the thread as I have personally tested with multiple iPhones and Android phones. So, I can tell you both are terrible. My daily driver is a Pixel and the charge pad is useless for me.

If most people complain about charging regardless of phone type, it's a design issue not an Apple specific issue.So we should focus on pushing a better approach not a solve for a single phone type/vendor type.

I had a Pixel prior to my current iPhone. I went out of my way to buy the (more expensive) Google Pixel wireless charging station designed specifically for that phone. It never worked. I've just given up on that tech and moved back the revolutionary USB cord. Works 100% of the time and my phone never gets hot.

 

[joelster]

I think the issue is just that Rivian app draws your power down faster than the Rivian mag pad can charge it. Seriously...

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