[Feature Request] Tesla Should Add the Ability to Turn Wireless Charging Off in Settings

[Ostrichsak]

I love the idea of wireless charging for when I need it. This will likely make up about 2% or so of our use though. What I don't need is my phone to go through a dozen charge cycles on a quick 15min drive in to work, more on longer trips. For us, we normally have plenty of charge left at the end of a typical day w/o charging at all so there would be no benefit from this "feature" most days. The downside is that dozen(s) of unnecessary charge cycles every day will shorten the lifespan of the phone battery.

I do love the designated storage spot for the phones though so I'd love to use them regularly. A simple way to disable wireless charging in the menu would be ideal. For those who utilize their wireless charging every day there would be no change to functionality. For those (like us) who prefer to disable it and then enable it when we're on longer road trips it would be easy.

Not sure how Tesla has tied that wiring into the harness/MCU. If it's tied into the power wires for anything else that may make a software change difficult. If it's connected to USB ports or something to get power (likely) then that makes this much more challenging from a purely software standpoint. If it's physically wired separately this should be able to be a simple software update to add functionality.

I realize I can disable this on the phone but we use wireless charging at night on our bedside stands so it would be annoying to have to disable and enable it every time we got in the car. I could also envision a time where we forgot to enable it again and then it wouldn't charge on the stand which may result in a nearly dead phone the next morning or having it die in the middle of the night so the alarm doesn't go off the next morning in a worst case scenario.

Does anyone use some sort of a physical plate to block the wireless charge? This would be the simplest of band-aid fixes and something with a black alcantara layer on it to match what's already there would be ideal.

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[kelpcar]

When it begins charging, stops charging, and begins charging again it is, by definition, cycling. Please refer to my previous post if you are still confused about what the definition of the word cycling is.

Additionally, the OP is correct that it will degrade the battery. Not specifically due to the cycling on and off of charging, but due to the large amount of heat generated by inefficient placement of the charging coils demonstrated by the cycling on and off of charging.

if you have to rely on the dictionary to make a technical argument, you're usually in deep waters.

 

[woolymammoth17]

if you have to rely on the dictionary to make a technical argument, you're usually in deep waters.

I'm posting the dictionary definition not for myself, but for those of you who still cannot seem to grasp that when the OP said cycling he was referring to the cycling on and off of the charging and NOT what you and others are thinking of as a full charge discharge cycle of a battery.

Sure, in normal EV talk, a cycle of a battery means one full charge and discharge "cycle" of the battery. Regardless of that, in the OP's context the word cycle is absolutely correct and what the OP described is called cycling. Not sure how there could still be confusion.

 

[woolymammoth17]

Let me summarize for everyone.

Constant cycling between not charging and charging when on a wireless pad usually means that the coils are not well aligned. When coils are not aligned well, it generates a lot of heat, charges slowly, and charges inefficiently. On iPhones, you cannot disable wireless charging through settings, and it is absolutely better for a battery to never be wirelessly charged at all, and even more so if it is charging inefficiently. Whether the charging pad in a Tesla works well for you or not completely depends on your phone and where the coil lies in the phone in relation to the coil in the pad. On my 13PM and 14PM it is aligned at essentially the farthest possible distance away that will sometimes trigger wireless charging, but in the worst possible way i.e. very slowly, very hot, very inefficient.

Apple actually created MagSafe specifically to address this concern. The entire point of MagSafe is to align the coils perfectly and therefore generate much less heat than normal wireless charging while also charging faster and more efficiently.

 

[jabloomf1230]

I'm not sure I understand the OP's problem. Wouldn't a properly sized, removable metal plate placed under the phone stop wireless charging? If not, I'm sure something could be rigged that does. My Pixel Pro 7 is fairly sensitive to its orientation in the wireless charger, Just a slight angle stops it from charging.

 

[woolymammoth17]

I'm not sure I understand the OP's problem. Wouldn't a properly sized, removable metal plate placed under the phone stop wireless charging? If not, I'm sure something could be rigged that does. My Pixel Pro 7 is fairly sensitive to its orientation in the wireless charger, Just a slight angle stops it from charging.

Yes. It would stop it from wireless charging.

 

[kelpcar]

I'm posting the dictionary definition not for myself, but for those of you who still cannot seem to grasp that when the OP said cycling he was referring to the cycling on and off of the charging and NOT what you and others are thinking of as a full charge discharge cycle of a battery.

We all know that. What the OP didn't understand is that any talk of battery longevity defines it as the latter. I'm sure you know this too, but you want to really mash against the grain here about some.....thing. Surely there's a thread more in need of quotations from the dictionary.

 

[woolymammoth17]

We all know that. What the OP didn't understand is that any talk of battery longevity defines it as the latter. I'm sure you know this too, but you want to really mash against the grain here about some.....thing. Surely there's a thread more in need of quotations from the dictionary.

Now you know that, sure. You and a couple other were just arguing the opposite and didn't understand the reference was to a different type of cycling.

To clarify again: The issue is the heat generated and poor connection between the two coils that hurts the battery. It's like cooking it. It is not the act of cycling on and off itself, it's the poor connection between the two coils that generates significant heat that is bad for the battery in the phone.

 

[TesslaBull]

I just wish the wireless charger could work with my “MagSafe” case. I’ve noticed, and heard from others, that the wireless charger really only works without a case or a really thin case, MagSafe or not.

WOW those are some crazy expensive cases! I can't bring myself to pay $50+ for a $2 piece of plastic. I've had really good luck with cheap ~$10 cases on several phones for many years.

 

[iDroidGuy]

WOW those are some crazy expensive cases! I can't bring myself to pay $50+ for a $2 piece of plastic. I've had really good luck with cheap ~$10 cases on several phones for many years.

I don’t have an actual apple one I have one from a company called DBRAND. Now days a lot of the off brand companies are doing MagSafe too though.

 

[Midnightsun]

Do not understand the worries here. All I can say is my 13 max pro sits on the car charger all the time when in the car. When I get home it sits on the apple Magsafe charger until next morning so at least a good 12hrs plus every day plus the car which varies quite a bit. Phone does have an original Magsafe case if that makes any difference which is on the phone all the time. This has been going on for a year and a half. Battery health is at 96%. In my case so I see no need to take precautions to help save my battery unless one wants to keep your phone for 5+ years and then it will probably be outdated anyway. I do change phones rather frequently though about every 2 years and will probably go for a 15 pro max when they become available.

The issue is the heat generated and poor connection between the two coils that hurts the battery. It's like cooking it. It is not the act of cycling on and off itself, it's the poor connection between the two coils that generates significant heat that is bad for the battery in the phone.

 

[TesslaBull]

Do not understand the worries here. All I can say is my 13 max pro sits on the car charger all the time when in the car. When I get home it sits on the apple Magsafe charger until next morning so at least a good 12hrs plus every day plus the car which varies quite a bit. Phone does have an original Magsafe case if that makes any difference which is on the phone all the time. This has been going on for a year and a half. Battery health is at 96%. In my case so I see no need to take precautions to help save my battery unless one wants to keep your phone for 5+ years and then it will probably be outdated anyway. I do change phones rather frequently though about every 2 years and will probably go for a 15 pro max when they become available.

Just curious, why change phones so often? They're pretty expensive and easily last 5+ years. My iPhone XS(a hand me down from wife) is 4 years old and works like new. Battery is at 78% and I can will replace it for $69 and easily get several more years out of it. Unless it breaks or stops working, I couldn't imagine spending $1,000+ dollars for a new phone for no reason that does exactly the same thing.

 

[woolymammoth17]

Just curious, why change phones so often? They're pretty expensive and easily last 5+ years. My iPhone XS(a hand me down from wife) is 4 years old and works like new. Battery is at 78% and I can will replace it for $69 and easily get several more years out of it. Unless it breaks or stops working, I couldn't imagine spending $1,000+ dollars for a new phone for no reason that does exactly the same thing.

Well, we're all interested in and value different things. In my case (which I am sure is different for everyone) I get the new iPhone every year and have since the 3GS. There's nothing in my life that I use more often or provides more value to me personally or professionally than my phone, so I always have the latest.

 

[Nubo]

The only context that matters is OP's:

EXACTLY. So in that context, ideally most of the replies would focus on giving @OP what they're looking for but instead there are pages "you're stupid to want this" posts. A common theme on these boards for numerous queries, unfortunately. For my part I would suggest the possibility of simply switching the low-voltage power lead to the wireless charger. Yes, a gross, degenerate physical switch, right there amidst the sanctity of a "best control is no control" Model Y Tesla. It's a lot of indignity to bear but @OP might get over it when the car does exactly what THEY WANT when they want it, all without supplication to the technological wizards at Tesla Motors. If concerned about warranty, make it removeable with a breakout cable, etc...

 

[kelpcar]

Just curious, why change phones so often? They're pretty expensive and easily last 5+ years. My iPhone XS(a hand me down from wife) is 4 years old and works like new. Battery is at 78% and I can will replace it for $69 and easily get several more years out of it. Unless it breaks or stops working, I couldn't imagine spending $1,000+ dollars for a new phone for no reason that does exactly the same thing.

I still use an XS, though I've dropped it a number of times and cracked the glass on the back, so I am likely to change it out (demote it to foreign travel duty).

New models have higher resolution, brighter screens, better cameras, and much faster processors, which don't matter for phone calls, but does for some apps. They also have 5G radios, which is significantly faster than the 4G in the X series.

 

[Iron]

Does anyone use some sort of a physical plate to block the wireless charge? This would be the simplest of band-aid fixes and something with a black alcantara layer on it to match what's already there would be ideal.

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You just need to raise the phone high up enough off it, that the magnet doesn't activate (sorta like having the phone in a super thick case that messes with the magnetic chargers). Cut a computer mouse pad into a shape that fits and drop it in on one side. If it's still trying to charge, get a thicker mouse pad or glue two together. Rubber side up will stop the phone from sliding.

 

[rpez021]

This is a context which you have fabricated. There’s no useful metric to track here when it comes to the health of a lithium ion battery. What you define is not a battery “cycle” in any meaningful sense of the word.

And yet I knew exactly what he meant as soon as he wrote it.

Do you also correct people when they blow their nose with a tissue that isn’t Kleenex but call it “Kleenex”?

Some people need to learn how to pickup context clues better and not “fabricate” conflict for no productive reason at all.

 

[Destiny1701]

I simply put my wallet folded out horizontally on the pad and place my phone on it. It’s 1/2 the phone is off the pad.
Cost: $0

Brings me to a point I’ve brought up to many a person…why is there no app to allow max charging on a cell phone battery much as we have with our teslas? Cell companies know charging to 100% constantly reduces battery life and yet not one app designed to limit max to 80 or 90%?

Seems like this would be a better solution for overall battery health and longevity.
Won’t help tesla charge cycles but can keep battery at a lower charge.

 

[SkyDog]

...
Brings me to a point I’ve brought up to many a person…why is there no app to allow max charging on a cell phone battery much as we have with our teslas? Cell companies know charging to 100% constantly reduces battery life and yet not one app designed to limit max to 80 or 90%?

Seems like this would be a better solution for overall battery health and longevity.
Won’t help tesla charge cycles but can keep battery at a lower charge.

On my Android phone, that setting is under Settings -> Device Care -> Battery -> More Battery Settings -> Protect Battery <- this limits max charge to 85%

 

[Destiny1701]

On my Android phone, that setting is under Settings -> Device Care -> Battery -> More Battery Settings -> Protect Battery <- this limits max charge to 85%

Damn. Anything for apple?

 

[Unclepaul]

I have found out, that for me, AT&T offers me a free upgrade about every two years. If I wait 5 years the value of my existing phone has little trade in value, so actually cost me less to get a new one every couple years.
They offered me $1000 for my previous 12, so got a free upgrade to a 14. Had to pay sales tax, but that was all.

I am grandfathered into a previous discounted promotional rate, so all in all a pretty good deal. Will hopefully do this again when the 16 comes out.

For the most part I get little value from the newer phones anyways. Mostly just enjoy an improved camera and a few features.

Agree with others, my phone is perhaps my most treasured item. Use is more than any other item. It is my phone, bank, camera, memory, medical ID, GPS, Navigation, flashlight, calendar, watch, news source, weather forcaster,Tesla interface, Solar interface, Web access, ring door bell camera, communicator, comminity call in device, stock trader, translator, currency calculator, tip calculator, payment device, bill payr
er, fact checker,music machine, shipping tracker, internet ordering device, hearing aid adjuster, document device. Would be lost with out it.