[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.

Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail

 

[rlsd]

I set my phone to 85%. But I put my phone in my pocket when I wear a shirt with pocket. I am afraid to leave the phone in the car. I did that twice: once I went to the beach near Santa Barbara, once I went to a restaurant in San Francisco at night.

 

[Elite Display]

Revisiting this as I'm getting my car soon. Seems like this "issue" is still unsolved.
No rubber pad to "block" the wireless charging and no option on the Tesla controls to disable the wireless charging.
Apple could implement a disable wireless charging setting...

 

[Iron]

Revisiting this as I'm getting my car soon. Seems like this "issue" is still unsolved.
No rubber pad to "block" the wireless charging and no option on the Tesla controls to disable the wireless charging.
Apple could implement a disable wireless charging setting...

I posted a simple solution a while back... see post 75. I'm going to guess that well over 90% of us don't have a need or desire for turning it off. If I'm right, I can't see Tesla making a change. They can't satisfy the whim of every individual. Now something like Joe mode is an example of a feature that strongly made sense to implement and would be appreciated by the masses. If you're truly determined, pull up the console, find one of the wires feeding the charger and splice in a switch that you can hide.

 

[Elite Display]

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.

I appreciate your solution but I'm looking for one that is a little more aesthetically pleasing (no offence). The solution I'm looking for may not even exist.

 

[Destiny1701]

I appreciate your solution but I'm looking for one that is a little more aesthetically pleasing (no offence). The solution I'm looking for may not even exist.

I now place my phone horizontally between both pads and it doesn’t charge due to the middle bump keeping the phone just far enough off any one of them. Voila

 

[gtae07]

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.

I've had a couple of phones that do this and also fake the display to still show 100%.

But for phones it's probably not nearly as big an issue--the economic lifetime (before it gets slow and buggy, or it's damaged/broken) of a phone is much less than a car, it's far cheaper to replace, etc.

 

[Destiny1701]

I've had a couple of phones that do this and also fake the display to still show 100%.

But for phones it's probably not nearly as big an issue--the economic lifetime (before it gets slow and buggy, or it's damaged/broken) of a phone is much less than a car, it's far cheaper to replace, etc.

Good point. I guess some of that economic lifetime is due to battery degradation lol. Slow and buggy also relates to battery performance.
I try to keep my phone 3-4 yrs but I can see how many simply replace earlier.

 

[fholbert]

I now place my phone horizontally between both pads and it doesn’t charge due to the middle bump keeping the phone just far enough off any one of them. Voila

I do the same so I can watch Waze, because the Tesla navigator is crap. I can confirm, it does not charge in that position.

 

[Art84]

The downside is that dozen(s) of unnecessary charge cycles every day will shorten the lifespan of the phone battery.

This is a false statement.
Li-Ion battery likes to have a short charge/discharge cycles! It only improves the battery lifespan!

My iPhone 14 is about 8 months old. Always put it on the wireless charger pad in Tesla. And phone battery health is still showing 100%. Much better battery health compared to my previous iPhone when I was charging it only overnight before.

 

[Destiny1701]

This is a false statement.
Li-Ion battery likes to have a short charge/discharge cycles! It only improves the battery lifespan!

My iPhone 14 is about 8 months old. Always put it on the wireless charger pad in Tesla. And phone battery health is still showing 100%. Much better battery health compared to my previous iPhone when I was charging it only overnight before.

Do you have factual data to support this? Other than your one experience? I’d like to believe this but doesn’t match with li-ion chemistry.

 

[Art84]

Do you have factual data to support this? Other than your one experience? I’d like to believe this but doesn’t match with li-ion chemistry.

Here is a big thread with many technical details, charts and proofs.

Best way to charge to prevent battery degradation?

Have you used Plugshare to locate possible charging locations? The main downside of exclusively Supercharging is cost. Know that Urban Superchargers are limited to 72kW charging rate that is less stressful to the battery than a Supercharger that can charge at 120/150/250kW peak charging. Urban...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Yelobird]

Here is a big thread with many technical details, charts and proofs.

Best way to charge to prevent battery degradation?

Have you used Plugshare to locate possible charging locations? The main downside of exclusively Supercharging is cost. Know that Urban Superchargers are limited to 72kW charging rate that is less stressful to the battery than a Supercharger that can charge at 120/150/250kW peak charging. Urban...

teslamotorsclub.com

What does a car battery have to do with the thread question of cell phone battery degradation?

 

[Art84]

What does a car battery have to do with the thread question of cell phone battery degradation?

car battery and cell phone battery - has the same type of the battery. Li-Ion.
Physical processes, aging and degradation have about the same key fundamentals related to the battery lifespan.

 

[ElectricAnt54]

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.

View attachment 909732
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail

To block wireless charging i put my iPhone 13pro max face first on the charging pad. No charging happens

 

[BitJam]

Elon said he would add this feature a year ago:

We should ask the S3XY Button people if they can add it. If it's possible, I think they would do it.

BTW: I bought a little tray that fits over the the sliding console lid. It's very clever and slides back to give you access to the console storage. I think this would solve your problem.

 

[Apex25]

I dont know if the added complexity is really worth it. I dont think you are going through more charging cycles, just because you are charging your phone when its capacity is high already. Just disable wireless charging in the phone.

In Android phones, you could even make it a bixby routine or google to do item so that any time the phone connects to the car's bluetooth, wireless charging is disabled.

TLDR; disable wireless charging on your phone

is there a way to disable wireless charging on an iphone 14 pro? I've searched and haven't found a way to disable it

 

[Apex25]

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

what phone do you have?

 

[SkyDog]

what phone do you have?

Samsung Galaxy S23