Working Magsafe / Magnetic Qi Wireless Charging Pad Install! - DIY Writeup

[Big_Ike]

I did a bit of testing today:

• Over an hour of charging, and with occasional screen on + Bluetooth streaming, my iPhone 13 Pro gained 11% battery. Periodically checking, I observed 7.5w of power that was pulled. I wouldn't consider this quick, but it's good enough for me.
• At the end of the charging session, the pad and the phone was just slightly warm. The converter was not.
• Husting home, I wanted see if I could get it to dislodge from the pad. I was unable to do so until I cornered so hard that the AT tires started to squeal. Again, good enough for me.

Tomorrow (or Thursday) I'm hoping to solder and shrink wrap onto one of the connectors to have a truly plug-and-play replacement. I'm also likely to update the design of shelf with some sort of attachment provision for the converters and for a small distribution block. Plug to the in of this, then a black and red out to the converters - all with minimal tools. (some initial soldering will need done, unfortunately)

Finally, I have a response from all of the component retailers. It looks like I can import a batch of both the pads and converters. The little distribution block is very available on Amazon, and the plug end is available from Mouser and Arrow.

I'm still working on getting the plate made, but that is looking good too.

Could I bother you for the part number or a link to find the power distribution box that you've pictured? Thanks!

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[RWerksman]

Could I bother you for the part number or a link to find the power distribution box that you've pictured? Thanks!

Yep - they are pretty generic. Here is the last set that I purchased.

Edit:

It looks like the DC-DC converters are back on the site too, here.

 

[Big_Ike]

Yep - they are pretty generic. Here is the last set that I purchased.

Many Thanks!!!

 

[shumdit]

It's Postal Service things. If you've received a tracking number, it's on the way.

Rob, my tracking ends in 556268 but it's still not showing that it's been received by USPS yet. I got notification on the 28th for shipping from you which is nearly a week. Assuming it was shipped it should have been here by now since I am in SC. I even paid for priority to "speed it up". Can you please check into this to make sure it did not slip through the cracks or let me know what the next step is? TIA

 

[RWerksman]

Rob, my tracking ends in 556268 but it's still not showing that it's been received by USPS yet. I got notification on the 28th for shipping from you which is nearly a week. Assuming it was shipped it should have been here by now since I am in SC. I even paid for priority to "speed it up". Can you please check into this to make sure it did not slip through the cracks or let me know what the next step is? TIA

Can you message me on the site instead of in this thread? We should be talking about the pad here, not USPS woes. In fact, I have a preference not to provide support in this thread at all as every situation is different. You are, of course, very welcome to post about your experience with the product and the purchase.

FWIW, just so you (and everyone knows), I have a unit holdback or two for situations just like this. Regardless, I need your order ID - the bits of your tracking number dont really help as I can't search on this.

 

[shumdit]

Can you message me on the site instead of in this thread? We should be talking about the pad here, not USPS woes. In fact, I have a preference not to provide support in this thread at all as every situation is different. You are, of course, very welcome to post about your experience with the product and the purchase.

FWIW, just so you (and everyone knows), I have a unit holdback or two for situations just like this. Regardless, I need your order ID - the bits of your tracking number dont really help as I can't search on this.

Certainly. Not trying to stir up anything

 

[RWerksman]

Update:

One of the things that I wasn't really thrilled with on the first batch was the requirement for soldering. To that end, Ive been working on this:

I've reverse engineered the molex connector. Ideally, I'd like it to snap into a connector and mate with a terminal block like the following:

This will allow you to simple screw in the cable to the block without the need to solder and without the need to pay me to do it for you.

These little blocks are rated for 150V 6A, which is way more than is needed - both pads running at full bore will only pull 12V 2.5A.

More soonish...

 

[Rford71]

Thanks Rob got mine installed and it’s working great. Doesn’t have a strong magnetic pull but it does have some attraction holding the phone in place.

 

[yizzung]

Thanks Rob got mine installed and it’s working great. Doesn’t have a strong magnetic pull but it does have some attraction holding the phone in place.

Nice!

 

[RWerksman]

Update:

I've printed the solderless connector for the kit, and it has come out exactly how I hoped that it would. The terminal block fits right in, as does the connector for the truck. It snaps into place and everything is held together well.

The print itself is very easy to make. and installation for the entire magnetic pad assembly would only need a small flat head screw driver in addition to the torx and pry tool.

Here is what it looks like. please note the the connector on the right in the picture (and inserted in others) is actually a bare connector -- the same as on the end of the truck cabling. It's used and show here so you have an idea of what the finished product will look like.

The below picture is a close up of what the back of the terminal block would look like. Notice the flat head screws. The red and black wiring would go to the distribution block (the grey part) on the pad replacement.

So, here is where we go from here:

• I'm going to be testing this over the next week or so. I'll be on a long holiday driving from PA to NC.
• I'm going to include these in the next batch of ordering I do for the kits. Yes, that means that I'm going to do another one assuming the vendors for the pads and dc-dc converters are on board.
• Because this removes the need for the Molex connector, the pricing for the next batch will actually GO DOWN by a few bucks! (Like $3 each)
• Because there is no soldering, the next batch will be 100% build your own. The build guide posted in this thread prior will be updated to reflect what is needed, but 95% of it will be the same. Build and install time should be less than 30 minute.

Also, orders will be going in for a small batch of the console divider, hanging organizer basket, improved cell phone mount, and a very, very small amount of a 1" version of the cell phone mount.

ETA for everything is late August, maybe early September.

 

[Rford71]

For anyone who purchased the phone ball mount I found a phone mount that works quite well. It the LISEN Magnetic Phone Holder. It gives you some adjustment for better phone viewing.

 

[cbuckley]

For anyone who purchased the phone ball mount I found a phone mount that works quite well. It the LISEN Magnetic Phone Holder. It gives you some adjustment for better phone viewing.

Have you had it in the heat yet? I purchased the ball mount from RWerksman and a magnetic phone mount that initially worked great but after sitting in my hot truck today, the magnetic mount wasn't able to hold a firm grip on the ball mount which causes the phone to flop around. I really liked having the phone mounted this way and am hopeful I can find another solution.

Yes, lots of potential double entendre in this post.

 

[Rford71]

Only today, and it was Mid90s with high humidity here in Washington DC area. This melt has a spin tightener to increase the pressure on the ball, so far so good. The magnet part of the mount is extremely strong, much stronger than any of the Apple MagSafe products.

 

[cbuckley]

Only today, and it was Mid90s with high humidity here in Washington DC area. This melt has a spin tightener to increase the pressure on the ball, so far so good. The magnet part of the mount is extremely strong, much stronger than any of the Apple MagSafe products.

Would you mind re-posting the link to the magnetic mount? It is blocked for some reason in your first post.

My truck interior regularly reads over 130 degrees according to my app so not sure if anything is going to hold up to those temps.

 

[whereismyr1t]

Thanks Rob got mine installed and it’s working great. Doesn’t have a strong magnetic pull but it does have some attraction holding the phone in place.

I guess that I drive too aggressively as i can’t get my phone to stay in place.

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