[ihateu3]

To preface this DIY mod, this will be most useful for people that do not need to see their phones while commuting. Those with a Grom, Trex, Nifty city, or any other custom install that's running Android, gives you the full features that your phone has, negating the need to see your phone. This means that a mount is not needed, but of course charging still is, especially if you are using it as a hotspot for your headunit.

The following is the equipment used in this DIY

• Qi 10W Wireless Charging Pad amazon.com/gp/product/B088NMY299
• Buck Converter amazon.com/gp/product/B01HXU1C6U

First, take a length of wire, and solder up your buck converter, and then wrap it with electrical tape. There are solderless buck converters on Amazon if that is easier for those that cannot solder that use screw terminals, but they are also a little bit bigger. Here are ones I have used in the past, that would work for this DIY amazon.com/gp/product/B08FHYK1PB

Gain access to the overhead console by removing the dome light area, so that the buck converter can be wired. I wired the buck converter to the 12V switched going to the mirror. You could possibly use the 12V constant to the dome lights, but I am not sure if constantly powering the buck converter would create drain when the car is off, so I just used switched 12V.

Create a hole on the side of the console that the sunglasses door seats in, so that the USB can pass through and plug into the buck converter. Pull the USB through and hot glue the wireless charger to the felt bottom of the sunglasses door. Also hot glue the converter located on the USB cable, and loop it with it facing as shown. This will allow the cable the slack needed to close the door, and will also position the charging status led of the converter facing down to provide a little illumination inside of the door.

Plug everything in, and put everything back together, and enjoy your stealth wireless charging that is immune to any acceleration you do in the car!

I am unable to take a pic of my phone in the console charging since I am using my phone for these pictures, but I have a Galaxy S21 Ultra, and it fits without issue.

 

[ihateu3]

As a bonus, while I was in the overhead console, I also threw in some ambient lighting to help locate the overhead lights at night. Of course, pics never show the correct brightness, but these are extremely dim as planned, so dim that you can compare how bright the center screen looks in comparison. I will update my other thread on ambient lighting to include this as well.

 

[ihateu3]

Thanks for sharing. I can't tell you how many cheap wireless mounts I've gone through between my GT-R and Jeep. Few can handle 1+ G-force or bumpy terrain. Our SUV has CarPlay and it works so much better as phone can be wherever. I have been thinking about adding one of the wireless CarPlay units like Grom to the GT-R and was just contemplating adding a wireless charging pad to the glovebox, but I'm digging the sun glass holder idea.

Which CarPlay integration unit do you have / recommend?

I personally went with the Grom, I felt it offered the most for the price, while still retaining the factory gauges. I also had a Grom in my Lexus and had no issues.