Wireless Charger Change to QI Standard

[schroedingerscat]

I bought a 2017 Tahoe Z71 and found that my iPhone 7 couldn't use the wireless charging station in the center console.  When it was time for a new cellphone I decided to get the new iPhone Xs so, among other things, I could use the wireless charger.  Imagine my annoyance when I realized that the 2017 GM products wireless charging followed a different standard than the iPhone X QI standard for wireless and charging and I was still SOL.

 

SO...being in Costco one day I found a wireless charging pad (2 pack).  For a while I put the wireless pad on the center console and plugged it in to the inverter.  This was annoying as it constantly slid off or the kids kicked the plug in the back seat.  SO...I resolved to fix it; to replace the wireless charging guts of my GM product with the wireless charging guts of the working charger.

 

This is the story of that replacement.

 

1)  Figure out how to take apart the working wireless charging pad.   Not too bad, remove the bottom rubber pad and remove screws and pry it apart.

2)  Figure out how to get the bottom of the center console cover off.  Much harder.  Got special interior tools and pried again.  It feels like you're going to break it.  But if you start at the bottom; near the hinge, it goes easier and feels less like you'll break something

3)  Remove wireless charging box from under console lid.  Open the box and remove the guts.  They're glued in.  You won't be able to use the metal heat sink part, but will need the plastic box.  It is wired in with a plug..so just remove the plug.

4)  Remove the guts of the working wireless charging pad.

5)  The next problem is that the wireless charging pad runs on 9 volts, while the car charging pad runs on, you guessed it, 12 volts.  You need a little buck converter or power regulator to get the voltage where it belongs.  If the electronics part is beyond you, contact me, I have a few extra I could part with.

6)  Wire this all together, fit the parts into the box from the Tahoe, hot glue them into position, connect the power coming into the lid of the console and the concept if complete.  But not the build.

7)  There are some issues:  1)  The new coil must fit VERY closely to the edge of the box.  In fact it seems like it has to be pressed into the box.  To accomplish this I cut a new top for the box and padded the coil so it was under pressure to contact the top of the box.  2)  The rubber pad in the top of the console lid does not position the phone exactly right to get the most reliable charging.  I recommend removing the rubber pad and reversing it (so the little reminder not to put metal on the charger is near the back of the console).  3)  The coil has an orientation.  I had it working flawlessly on the bench but when I installed it realized that I had the coil cross wise to the needed orientation; had to take it all apart and start again.

[SFX Group]

Been reading the 2017 manual, it appears the QI charger is an LG electronics gizmo and has some opensource coding in it, so its likely the charger can be reprogrammed i bet.  There is also a comms channel between the charger and phone (by the looks of it).

 

However ive never had much luck with wireless charging and iPhone X, most as i have a Ottabox defender case which doesn't appear to work well, even when it was remove the phone would only charge for about an hour then give up.... so i dont trust the QI charger yet until they have been around for a good 5-10 years (and work).

 

 

UPDATE
At the dealer in Canada today, 2019 says its iPhone X compliant....

[Smoothbassman]

Great mod. I only use wireless charging at home when I can just set the phone down for all night and let it ride. Otherwise it just isn't fast enough or reliable enough for use in the car.

Plus there's no wireless Carplay or Android Auto yet. So you have to plug in to get those features.

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