# Best Practices for Wired Phone Charging in 2021 Model 3/Y?



## jsmay311 (Oct 2, 2017)

To owners of 2021 Model 3/Y's who have phones that can't charge wirelessly (either because they use a thick case, or a pop socket, or they just have an older phone without wireless charging), what are some approaches you're using to charge your phones?

For example:
Where do you place the phone?
How to you route the charging cable?
Etc.

Thanks.


----------



## jsmay311 (Oct 2, 2017)

Nobody? I thought this would’ve been a fairly common issue that 2021 owners are running into, with different people settling on a variety of approaches. 

I was trying to brainstorm about how I might handle phone charging if I get a 2021, but it’s hard to figure out without an actual car to fiddle with. (I guess I could just go to the showroom tho.)

If there’s enough of a lip on the bottom of the wireless charger pad, I wonder if something could be 3D-printed that rest securely on that lip and hold a charging connector to allow a phone to be easily plugged in with one hand, comparable to the 2017-2020 wired phone dock.(?)

And maybe there’s be a way to route a charging cable from the rear USB-C ports so that you wouldn’t have to have the sliding center console compartment door open all the time.(?)


----------



## Aden (Sep 4, 2021)

I use a Pixel 4a that doesn't have wireless charging. When I ordered my Model 3, I bought these two things to make it work:

Phone adapter for wireless charging, $14 on Amazon.

Wireless charging pad so I can charge in the house, also $14 on Amazon.

Total cost was $28, and it works perfectly with my Model 3.


----------



## jsmay311 (Oct 2, 2017)

Aden said:


> I use a Pixel 4a that doesn't have wireless charging. When I ordered my Model 3, I bought these two things to make it work:
> 
> Phone adapter for wireless charging, $14 on Amazon.
> 
> ...


Interesting. So you just converted your non-wireless-charging phone to a wireless-charging phone. Clever. Unfortunately that won't work for people with thick/wallet cases or pop sockets.

I wonder if a similar approach could be used for thick cases by attaching the wireless charging adapter to the phone *charging pad* instead of to the phone itself. Then you'd just plug the phone into the wireless adapter when charging. That would eliminate any need for USB-C cable management. But that would still require some kind of plastic base part to hold the adapter and connector in place. And charging speeds would probably be slower than a wired connection, but that's not a big concern for me.


----------



## Aden (Sep 4, 2021)

jsmay311 said:


> Interesting. So you just converted your non-wireless-charging phone to a wireless-charging phone. Clever. Unfortunately that won't work for people with thick/wallet cases or pop sockets.
> 
> I wonder if a similar approach could be used for thick cases by attaching the wireless charging adapter to the phone *charging pad* instead of to the phone itself. Then you'd just plug the phone into the wireless adapter when charging. That would eliminate any need for USB-C cable management. But that would still require some kind of plastic base part to hold the adapter and connector in place. And charging speeds would probably be slower than a wired connection, but that's not a big concern for me.


Yeah, my phone case isn't super thick I guess, and I suppose that could make a difference if you've got a bulky case. Charging will always be lower (and less efficient) on a wireless charger compared to wired, but I'm in my car so much that my phone is pretty much always full. I don't think the wireless adapters are meant to be plugged in and out of the phone very often...the adapter is fairly thin so it fits between the phone and the case, so a lot of cycles in-and-out might eventually damage the adapter. Which is why I got the wireless charging pad for my house so I can just leave the adapter plugged into my phone permanently.


----------

