Develop Bugs

DIY magnetic charger

I made a magnetic charger for the S4 that works really well! It is similar to the setup I had for my HTC Sensation http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1283200. I've had it in two different cars, one of which was a Subaru I used to offroad and never had any problems with it falling off. As far as the parts I used:
Poetic Atmosphere:
http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Atmosphere-Samsung-Manufacturer-Warranty/dp/B00BJS9B98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374642964&sr=8-1&keywords=poetic+s4
3/16 rare earth magnets:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102642
Qi charging receiver (does not make a 'bump' on rear cover):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Qi-Wireless-Charger-Charging-Receiver-Module-for-Samsung-Galaxy-S4-S-IV-I9500-/300935863274?pt=US_Cell_Phone_PDA_Chargers&hash=item46112cdbea
LG WCP-700. Good luck finding one. You could sub any charging mat:
http://www.amazon.com/LG-WCP-700-Portable-Office-Charging/dp/B005DMBSVA
GSI Super Quality 30w, 19v Laptop Rapid Car Charger Adapter Plug:
http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Quality-Charger-Adapter-Notebook/dp/B004J15XOY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1374643275&sr=8-8&keywords=19v+car+charger
1. I cut the end off of the stock wall charger and spliced onto the 19v charger since that is what the wall charger outputs.
2. I folded the circuit in half glued it in to the box. I used a hallmark jewelry box that I cut half the height off of. The box is approx. 2.5x3.5--near perfect fit.
3. I centered the magnets and glued them in place before taping/gluing the box closed.
4. I marked out the measurements on back of the case and drilled holes. The case is hard inflexible plastic so it drilled really well.
5. Place case on box and match magnet polarities before taping them in place.
6. Use double sided tape to affix the box to your dash. Or, if you feel fancy, I bought the vehicle specific mount from ProClip and taped it to that.
7. Run cables for charger, or just plug in.
Pics attached

With that Qi charger do you keep NFC functionality?
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

bogdi1988 said:
With that Qi charger do you keep NFC functionality?
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
Unfortunately the NFC doesn't work. Although I used it, losing it wasn't that big of a deal for me.

That Qi receiver is only rated at 600mah, there's no way it will keep the phone charged if it's being used while in the car. Even a 1A charger will let the phone slowly die while using navigation& having the screen on.

96cobra said:
That Qi receiver is only rated at 600mah, there's no way it will keep the phone charged if it's being used while in the car. Even a 1A charger will let the phone slowly die while using navigation& having the screen on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right. If using navigation and music it will discharge faster than it will charge, but it is VERY slow to do so. However, if you just listen to music with the screen on it charges fine. About 10% an hour.

Very cool. A bit expensive for me, but it'd be nice to have in my car.

I took my old power mate case for my s3 and took out the internals. I have a incipio case that I cut out the silicon layer to fit the circuit board with out adding any bulk to the case.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

Budget magnetic charging cable

I want to buy a magnetic charger and I live in India and very low quality cables are available on the local websites. I have looked for cables on eBay.com which ship to my location but I don't know which one to buy. I need your opinions. My maximum budget is 12$(incl. shipping).
The WSKEN Cable is available at my location. Is the cable worth buying?
Thanks in advance.

I got wsken magnetic cable, and its build quality is fine, but magnet is not that strong - its even weaker than another fake original sony cable i got. But if you just use it to charge your phone without using it, it can do the job.

I wouldnt recommend one with a very strong magnet. There have been some horror stories of the storng magnet PULLING the phones charge port completely out. I got a fairly weak one from amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UOVZOBK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Fits perfectly with my Cruzerlite TPU case. I even have EXTRA room for clearance. Magnet isnt the strongest which makes me happy as I only charge at night when I'm sleeping as the phone lasts through the day for me.

Yup, it happened to me. I use a Magnector adaptor and it is very strong, after a while the whole connector came off as there was simply a VERY thin acrylic glue foam tape (VHB ?) holding it and keeping water off. By thin I do not mean the thickness but the actual long side surface
The good news is that the connection with the internal PCB board are spring loaded, so I put it back in place and tested it then used a needle to put some cyanoacrlylate glue to hold it, it never came out again and the phone still look ok. Now I always try to removing it with a twisting motion just in case...
It is hard for me to understand how they can claim waterproof and use such thin gasket but I still like this phone a lot!

hmm dont think I'll be getting a magnetic charger any time soon then if it comes off that easily. >_<

It's just the Magnector adapter that seems to do that. None of the others are strong enough to pull the connector off of the phone.

I just bought an OEM one from aliexpress for only $2.71 US. btw you only save .03 if you use the mobile app
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...a-Z1-Charger-Adapter/1775016_32429292298.html

I also have a generic magnetic charger. The one with a circle blue LED in the part near the magnet. I found that it charges slowly compared to the OEM usb cable that came in the box. I used the same OEM charger for both tests.
Charging via magnetic cable is roughly 60-70% of the speed of normal USB charging. Is this just me that I have a low quality cable or is it really that much slower?

I tried two Magnetic cables but they don't work on my Z3 Compact because pins are not aligned with phone and charging not working probably because there is no contact. Actually i got one with LED indicator to work several times but on slightly move it stops charging and it is hard to get it to charge again so I gave up on these cables.
I bought original Sony DK48 Dock and it's working out of the box. Only issue is that I need to remove protective case before charging because with it phone won't fit in Dock. It almost fits so I'll probably try to modify larger adapter so phone can fit with case...

I received my DK48 dock and magnetic cable from Ali Express and they both work great. The charging cable ($2.71) matches the pins perfectly so doesn't appear to be a knock-off. I have a Devilcase bumper and works with the DK48 dock also with the case on--just attach the included back rest. It takes me a few times to get it aligned perfectly to charge but works.

I'm using this cheap one and it works great for me. Magnet is ok so you can even move your phone as long as the cable is parallel to your phone.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Magnetic-Ch...39h-KK-/261850771916?var=&hash=item3cf785b1cc

I'm have WSKEN X-cable Easy Version, and it's great.
You can also try WSKEN X-CABLE DOUBLE METAL which has a charge indicator led.
Both cables charge my device faster than original Xperia Z2 charger and magnet is not too weak/too powerful.
Check WSKEN website for details.

I've tried several magnetic chargers and adapters and always facing the same problem, too weak magnet and if the phone is moved even an inch the cable falls off. Finally I got WSKEN X-CABLE for 7$ and that did the trick, everything works great including fast charging. You can literally hold your phone up in the air by the charger. And no, the magnet is not too strong as described in previous posts, with a slight pull it comes off without breaking the phones charging port. There is even a little plastic widget included to attach the cable into the right position angle and you can perfectly use the phone while charging. Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/112026597308?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

QI wireless for the Z1C....

Okay... i´m trying to make a mod for my Z1C to make it qi compatible....
I have the magnetic connector from a dock (which is broken).
So, using the connector + cover + glue can make it work.... and of course, need to solder the receiver to the connector....
But, the big question... which receiver should i use?
First of all, i´m from Argentina... so i have a limited access to receivers.
I´ve seen here receivers from Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, S5, Note III and Note 4, and a few others generic...
The maximum current that could find was 650mA... but read some comments that the output 1000mA is a lie... and there is no difference between the receivers...
So, which one should i buy?
Thanks to all!!

Finally, get a 700mAh receiver, and cutting out the cable, mixing + soldering + glueing it all together, and now it´s working....

Samsung GS4 1000mA QI receiver
I have a few Galaxy S4(1000mA)/S3(800mA) QI receiver cards.
The cards are different depending on the contact points location in the phones.
So you just soldered the internal magnetic charging points to a QI receiver card inside the phone?????
If you have the QI Receiver inside the phone (only real place for it), how much pressure does that place on the back cover??
The back cover tends to break away from the frame without much effort, so having the raised 'bulk' of a Qi card in the phone would only add to the pressure for the back cover to separate.
On Samsung phones (GS4 which I've added QI cards) it does take a bit of brute force to chip the back cover on again and some GS4 aftermarket cases/covers can not be used with the QI card installed due to the back of the phone being ever so slightly raised.
I have the QI receiver cards, glue seals rings for Z1C back cover and the Qi chargers and it is something I have thought about, but with three working magnet DK32 docks around the house, it's not something I have advanced at this time.
Well done for getting it to charge via QI charger if that is what you've done.
Maybe a photo would be nice.

Okay... now, the photos:
The tape is over the receiver module.
The original contacts from the receiver were removed, and over there, was soldered some copper tape (that can be seen in the photos).
The contacts were made by opening-cutting a magnetic cable, soldering it to the copper tape, and then glueing it to the cover, to maintain position.
The charger seems to be very picky about position. Searching over the internet, seems to be a common issue with this model...
Hope it´s usefull...

Well... about the charger, there seems to be an easy fix to it's pickiness... Take off the upper side... That way, the thing will gone a cool itself, and the connection will become a lot easier...

Magnetic dock + Qi wireless charging project

Hello everyone! How are y'all doing on this lovely week? I'm doing great!
I got my Zenfone 2 last week and I'm loving it, but I miss the hability to wireless charge it and especially to put it in the Air dock when I'm my car. So here I came asking for your aid!
Is there any dock like the Air dock for the Zenfone 2? I have an Air dock (1st Gen) that I bought back when I had a Gnote2 and because of the curved back and some wearing of the rubber in the dock the Zenfone 2 doesn't hold very nicely, so I'm thinking about making my own magnetic dock to put in the car.
Also, is there any way to get Qi wireless charging to work on it?
My initial idea on the magnetic dock won't even consider charging wirelessly since I plug it via a cable when on the car to listen to music/podcasts but maybe If I could get it to work, as times goes on, I would find a way to charge it wireless and get some sort of bluetooth dongle for the car.
My thoughts on a project for the dock involves using HDD magnets since they are really strong and it would make the device secure. But my concerns are if it's safe to use magnets that powerful near a phone for it's hardware and for it's battery, since s not easily replaceable.
Anyone here ever did or saw some sort of project like this? I'm possibly gutting my Air dock if the Zenfone doesn't support Qi wireless.
Any input is helpful, I'm completely open to suggestions!

There is an existing thread about QI solutions since there are no contact pins for wireless charging without some heavy modding of the device casing or usage of the USB port. As far as I'm aware, magnets have virtually no effect on the hardware except for a few sensors like the magnetometer and possibly the magnetic cover sensor.

raynan said:
There is an existing thread about QI solutions since there are no contact pins for wireless charging without some heavy modding of the device casing or usage of the USB port. As far as I'm aware, magnets have virtually no effect on the hardware except for a few sensors like the magnetometer and possibly the magnetic cover sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I'll try to find some weaker magnets to keep it in place without such a load in my mind, thank you for your help

Sure, good luck and I'd be interested in seeing what you think up.

I'd opt to use a cradle or similar holder instead of magnets. A strong enough magnet would probably add too much bulk. When looking for qi receivers, make sure to get one that has data pins (which will most likely be shorted to allow rapid charging). This one is still a reasonable price http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WKWWMAM and fits well enough in most cases. It does even fit alright inside the back cover, but you're better off putting it between the phone and case. It'd make more sense to go qi all around since it becomes a hassle to unplug it..
If anything, you could save a bit of bulk by ripping it apart and removing the magnet. It does seem to severely cripple nfc though.
As for bluetooth receivers, they have become significantly cheaper recently. You could get an old bt2.1 a2dp button-less one and hide it away somewhere. I got one for $3 shipped. There are apps that can be set to auto-play on pair. For $10-15 more, you should be able to find something with buttons (back/playpause/next) and aptx support. Usually these will have a microphone as well

Car mounts

I'm looking to buy a new car mount for my Galaxy S8+. Currently I have a 5 year old Brodit car mount that can be flexible in size, but the downside is that it's very shaky and loose.
I've been looking into the force touch charger car mount from Mophie because of the magnetic attachment, but it can only be used with their battery case and I don't need such a bulky case.
Can any of you recommend a good car mount?

I had an iBolt mPro I was using with my previous phone and it worked pretty solid. I just ordered the cPro (which has the USB-C connector built in) and I'll let you know how it works out.

I like the iottie holders since you can put it in and take it out with one hand. However i'm looking at this new one which also includes wireless charging while in the holder.
https://www.iottie.com/Product/Deta...Wireless-for-Android-_-Qi-Enabled-Smartphones

icewolf293 said:
I like the iottie holders since you can put it in and take it out with one hand. However i'm looking at this new one which also includes wireless charging while in the holder.
https://www.iottie.com/Product/Deta...Wireless-for-Android-_-Qi-Enabled-Smartphones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by new? Seems to have come out in 2015 .. I'm also thinking about purchasing but seems old for a couple month old phone. Has anyone tried it? I'm hoping to be able to charge while the phone is in use. I have a 1.5 amp USB in the car which I hope is enough.

Drey070 said:
What do you mean by new? Seems to have come out in 2015 .. I'm also thinking about purchasing but seems old for a couple month old phone. Has anyone tried it? I'm hoping to be able to charge while the phone is in use. I have a 1.5 amp USB in the car which I hope is enough.
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You can get a fast charger though I've noticed mine is sensitive to heat, doesn't take much for it to start slowing down charging (and warning you about it)

If you are looking for magnetic attachment, I suggest you look at xvida magnetic mounts. They offer a magnetized cover for S8 which would allow you to use their regular magnetic car docks as well as their line of qi car docks. I've tested their cases for S7 edge & charging desk stand and charging vent mount and they work great. Slight overheating with the car docks though, which can be expected but like I said, they have various standard magnetic car docks if that's a concern. No problems with overheating with their desk charger if you are on the market for a charging stand as well.

HANDS DOWN the best case/mount combo is made by Evutec. The cases themselves are precisely cut and essentially indestructible, all while containing a thin metal insert to work with their vent mount (make sure you get one that comes with the mount). Theyre relatively inexpensive on Amazon for the quality of case you get. They typically only make iPhone cases, but fortunately make them for the S8 and S8+.
The only caveat is that they don't play nice with wireless charging. I guess this could be a big downside for people that love the wireless charging, but I charge by a cable and don't own a wireless charge pad so its all good.

sudkcoce said:
If you are looking for magnetic attachment, I suggest you look at xvida magnetic mounts. They offer a magnetized cover for S8 which would allow you to use their regular magnetic car docks as well as their line of qi car docks. I've tested their cases for S7 edge & charging desk stand and charging vent mount and they work great. Slight overheating with the car docks though, which can be expected but like I said, they have various standard magnetic car docks if that's a concern. No problems with overheating with their desk charger if you are on the market for a charging stand as well.
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Thank you so much! It was something like that I was looking for. Magnetic attachment and fast qi charging!