A question about wireless charging of cellphones

(Steve S Szymczak) #1

The next generation of cell phones coming out will have wireless charging. Now I’m not an engineer, but when I hear the term wireless charging I think that there must be a transmitter sending watts of power over short distances to an antenna in the phone. It seems that the magnetic field created would wreck havoc with a low wattage mesh network. Or am I thinking too much?

#2

It’s actually not a transmitter, it’s a magnetic field. Very cool technology. The magnetic force is available within the diameter of the magnetic field, which is typically extremely small, maybe 20 mm, although if you use magnetic resonance you can get up to about 45 mm. That force vibrates a coil in the receiving device and that vibration is what generates electricity inside that device. So it’s not actually transmitting electricity at all.

Anyway, it won’t interfere with any radio frequencies at a greater distance from the charging pad.

If you stick to chargers that conform to the Qi or Apple standards, your other devices should be safe:

https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/technology/how-it-works.html

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I personally would not buy a wireless charger that wasn’t certified to one of these two standards.

(Dave Gutheinz) #3

I have had wireless charging on my Samsung Smartphones for five years. Uses the QI standard and works great. A little plate to lay the phone on for charging. GREAT ITEM and very safe.

(Arne Helseth) #4

The next generation? My past 4 or 5 phones (since 2012 anyway) have had this already. But sure, I’m not an Apple user so I see where you’re coming from.

Anyway, like JDRoberts said, it’s a non issue. At least for phones. I’ve got RF controlled lights (a Wi-Fi self build, a Bluetooth self-build and MiLight) in Ikea’s Varv lamp and all three are working great. There has been actual radio charging in the past, which works over a 10m distance, however this was on 915Mhz so shouldn’t interfere either.

(Mark) #5

My last few phones have also had wireless charging. I thought iPhones were so advanced? :thinking:

(Cam Soper) #6

Don’t worry Master Chief, this ain’t a Covenant weapon. It’s just magnetic induction, the same thing that happens inside an AC/DC transformer (like your phone charger). It’s just a magnetic field.