How to wirelessly charge your Samsung Galaxy S3

Charging the battery – and that too without a cable via induction – will be one of the most important features of the forthcoming generation of smartphones. In this tip, we show you how you can upgrade this function even today in your mobile phone. eBay is full of individual induction mats and also individual battery compartment lids for several different handsets. Since the technical details of the components are normally not very strong, we generally do not recommend these products. The reason: more, or less, voltage builds up depending on how many windings are present in the coils, in the mat and battery compartment lid. The result could be that the smartphone is not charged, or worse, is maltreated with over-voltage, which could again lead to the battery getting destroyed. 

Well-suited: the induction test by Palm

You would be better off buying a set consisting of an induction mat (or in this case: block) and matching battery compartment lid. This is already available at online auction houses from Rs. 1800 onwards. We settled on a product by Palm, as the oblique, magnetic induction block is well suited to keep the mobile in view while charging. The set is actually an upgrade kit for the Palm Pre. As mentioned, there are other options in eBay.

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Takes somewhat more time, but is convenient

You cannot expect induction charging to work wonders. But that has got nothing to do with self-built or bought; rather, it is technology-related. The efficiency of such an energy transmission lies between 60 and 70 percent. About one-third of the energy expended is lost. But that does not make it particularly expensive; since very little current generally flows over here, it is not so bad when one-third of very little is lost. The only thing is that it takes a bit longer till the battery is fully charged by induction.

For this particular DIY, we have selected the Samsung Galaxy SIII as the test device. This could also apply to other handsets as well. After we had received the Touchstone kit from Palm, we first tested to see if the transferred current was fundamentally sufficient to charge the device. We found it was validated, removed the secondary coil from the Palm-Pre lid after that and applied it in the battery compartment lid of Samsung Galaxy SIII. After that, only the contacts of the secondary coil have to be connected with the charging contacts of the Samsung handset – and that completes the induction charging handiwork. A special app, or even a driver, is not required, by the way. The Samsung system recognises that current lies at the internal contact, interprets it correctly as wireless charging and responds accordingly.

How it’s done

1 Preparation 

Get yourself an induction charging kit. It would be best to buy a battery compartment lid and mat (or block) in a bundle. Thus, you can be sure that one matches the other and that the current transmission is also functional. Also, get hold of a soldering rod, tin-lead solder, some stranded wire and a cutter knife. 

Step 1

2 Soldering the Palm Lid 

Before you really get going, you should test whether the whole thing actually functions and that the charging process actually starts. Therefore, solder two thin wires on the contacts of the secondary coil. 

Step 2

3 Connecting the Charging Pins to the Test 

Next, solder the free ends to the inner pins of the Galaxy SIII. If you have another mobile model, you should find out on the Internet how best to get hold of the correct pins for charging. Also, pay attention that the wire which is soldered in the Palm at the lower contact is soldered at the upper contact in SIII.

Step 3

4 Executing Functional Test

Now check if a current is flowing by laying the Palm lid on the plinth (connected with the power supply). The SIII should now show »Wireless charging. 

Step 4

5 Removing the Secondary Coil 

Disconnect the cable from the Palm lid and carefully remove the coil from the lid. 

Step 5

6 Inserting the Secondary Coil 

Stick it into the SIII lid. Remain in the centre as much as possible so that the lid fits later on. 

Step 6

7 Closing the Smartphone 

Trim the cable and solder the ends to the contacts of the secondary coil again. Finally, reassemble the device.

Step 7

8 Wireless Charging 

Lay your smartphone on the charging block for testing – the charging process should now begin.

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