Hi all,
I recently upgraded to a phone capable of charging wirelessly, and as such have bought a wireless charging mount compatible with my phone (linked below). I want to try and hide the cable to keep the cabin neat, and so I don't lose the convenience of the magnetic mount/charger by having to mess about with plugging in/out the charger.
I've had great success in the past with a magnetic car vent mount, and the convenience of practically throwing your phone somewhere in the region of the centre console and having the phone fix to it has been excellent, as well as being quite minimal. It was just missing the ability to also charge the phone by simply attaching it.
With that in mind, what I'd like to do is run a USB cable through the centre console air vent and then either piggyback off of a fuse in the glovebox, or connect directly to the back of the cigarette lighter. Has anyone done this before? Is there a route to do this? Am I going to accidentally ruin my aircon?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Beeacon.
Wireless Charging Phone Mount:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08HNBHSQV
90 Degree Bend USB-C:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B18WJS6K
Old Magnetic Phone Mount & Cigarette Lighter Socket USB Adapter:
https://amzn.eu/d/axWdaGq
https://amzn.eu/d/gd2wyzz
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Wireless Charging Phone Mount
- Beeacon
- Member
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:07 pm
- Location: Manchester, UK
Wireless Charging Phone Mount
Current: Still thinking...
Past: 2009 BMW Z4 35i sDrive DCT
Past: 1997 BMW Z3 2.8 wide boy
Past: 2009 BMW Z4 35i sDrive DCT
Past: 1997 BMW Z3 2.8 wide boy
- tiglon
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:20 am
- Location: Essex
Wireless Charging Phone Mount
I did this last year. Ran the cable from the socket in the arm rest storage, under the storage mat, underneath the centre console (had to drill a hole in the arm rest storage tray) then up behind the stereo and into the air con vent to attach to the mount. Works fine but yes you lose a bit of air con due to the mount partially blocking the vent, but there's still more than enough cooling and heating.
Not the best photos but hopefully you get the idea. I found out how to remove enough dashboard trim from an AnubisZed video... don't have the link, sorry.
Not the best photos but hopefully you get the idea. I found out how to remove enough dashboard trim from an AnubisZed video... don't have the link, sorry.
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2014 E89 35is Valencia Orange 788M wheels (M2 Competition), E90 M3 control arms, Eibach Pro Kit Springs, MHD Stage 1
- Beeacon
- Member
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:07 pm
- Location: Manchester, UK
Wireless Charging Phone Mount
Hey Tiglon,tiglon wrote: ↑Mon Sep 19, 2022 7:25 am I did this last year. Ran the cable from the socket in the arm rest storage, under the storage mat, underneath the centre console (had to drill a hole in the arm rest storage tray) then up behind the stereo and into the air con vent to attach to the mount. Works fine but yes you lose a bit of air con due to the mount partially blocking the vent, but there's still more than enough cooling and heating.
Not the best photos but hopefully you get the idea. I found out how to remove enough dashboard trim from an AnubisZed video... don't have the link, sorry.
Thanks for the informative post, the images really help. I might just go about doing mine this way, though I may use a USB extension cord so I don't have to faff around in the future if I change mount.
When removing dashboard elements, did you have to remove the stereo in order to get the cable behind? This seems to be the most complicated portion of it judging by the video you mentioned (I've seen it before, posted below for others).
Cheers,
Beeacon.
AnubisZed Youtube Video Removing Centre Console:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYQgNDj4Fac&t=1384s
Current: Still thinking...
Past: 2009 BMW Z4 35i sDrive DCT
Past: 1997 BMW Z3 2.8 wide boy
Past: 2009 BMW Z4 35i sDrive DCT
Past: 1997 BMW Z3 2.8 wide boy
- tiglon
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:20 am
- Location: Essex
Wireless Charging Phone Mount
Yes, the stereo needs to be unscrewed and pulled forwards just enough to slip the cable up the side. It doesn't need to come all the way out. IIRC the clips on the stereo surround/facia look and feel quite brittle, so be careful with those.
The hardest part of the job is finding a short enough screwdriver to get to some of the screws.
The hardest part of the job is finding a short enough screwdriver to get to some of the screws.
2014 E89 35is Valencia Orange 788M wheels (M2 Competition), E90 M3 control arms, Eibach Pro Kit Springs, MHD Stage 1