How to charge the iPhone 5S when planning a trip to South Africa

A guide on how to recharge the iPhone 5S with a South African power outlet with a USB Lightning cable and a double pin Type C Europlug power charger, recharging the iPhone 5S using a Type F USB adapter and charging the iPhone 5S using a Type M USB adapter

South African power outlet

When planning to travel to South Africa it can often be useful to know in advance if you'll be able to use your electrical devices such as cell phones or laptop computers when you arrive. By not knowing which wall socket is used in South Africa you are likely to bring the wrong charger, therefore having to purchase a suitable charger on arrival. Different region codes and sockets can all be confusing when planning to visit another country especially to the first time traveller. These guidelines have been written to prevent travellers needing to worry if they can charge their iPhone 5S abroad.If you are planning a vacation to South Africa this page has instructions showing powering your iPhone 5S by using the M, C, F or N type 230 volt 50Hz wall outlets, Type M plug outlets will be normally used by most South Africans. Most power sockets will change depending on which area you taking a trip to so we recommend reading the WikiConnections travel power connections page where you'll find a complete list of regions. When you are visiting South Africa from a different region please ensure your iPhone 5S can be used with a 240v supply. If the iPhone 5S was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) make sure that the iPhone 5S is dual-voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional power converter to avoid the device from overheating when charging it. If you are planning on staying at a city like Cape Town or Durban we also recommend reading the South Africa Wikipedia web page [1] for more indepth information. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5S.

Charging the iPhone 5S in South Africa

Can you use the iPhone 5S in South Africa?

Yes, you can connect the iPhone 5S to a South African power outlet.

What is the best travel adapter for the iPhone 5S in South Africa?

If you are travelling with more than just your iPhone 5S then the best travel charger for South Africa to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are four different standards of wall outlets that South Africans use (M, C, F and N) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type C. Because these chargers come with interchangeable plugs and handle 100 to 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by switching the heads over. If your iPhone 5S is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster recharging times with one of these USB travel adapters plus additional compatibility with more power demanding devices.

Having a 4 port adapter will also allow you to charge multiple devices at once without needing to bring multiple power chargers or using up additional wall outlets. Only needing a single international travel charger will help keep the size and weight down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage whilst travelling as well as being on hand for recharging your iPhone 5S at the airport or on a flight. Because of their space saving flexibility these types of chargers can be used at home so when you’re not on holiday they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, smartphones and speakers and using only a single power outlet.

We recommend searching for a versatile travel charger similar to this online. The travel adapter illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for charging multiple USB devices in numerous different countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for South Africa

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPhone 5S, however for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is useful when visiting counties with unstable power grids to prevent damage to any connected appliances from voltage spikes. These travel converters come supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact option for travellers originating from America visiting South Africa.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico travel adapter is also aimed at travellers originating from the US using type B plugs. This offers practically the same functionality as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet for almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers 5 USB charging ports. This versatile power strip is compatible with both American plugs and popular plug types A, D,E/F, G, H, I, L and N making it suitable for most travellers from around the world visiting South Africa. [12] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for the iPhone 5S in South Africa?

Charging the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet by using a two pinned Europlug Type C USB adapter

A guide on how to recharge the iPhone 5S with a South African power outlet with a USB Lightning cable and a double pin Type C Europlug power charger.

  1. To supply power to the iPhone 5S from the South African power outlet you will need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will usually supply the USB cable when you purchase your iPhone 5S).
  2. Plug in the Type C USB power plug adapter in the South African power outlet. You can identify the plug supply by two circular adjacent holes.
  3. Then connect one end of the Lightning charging cable into the mains USB adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S situated at the bottom of the iPhone 5S.
  4. Switch on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of the iPhone 5S screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the mobile is recharging and takes roughly 60-240 minutes to fully recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet by using a two pinned Europlug Type C USB adapter

Charging the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet by using a two pinned Schuko Type F USB adapter

Using a Lightning cable and a double pin Type F Schuko power charger to recharge the iPhone 5S with a South African power outlet.

  1. In order to power the iPhone 5S using the South African power outlet you'll need to buy a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - the USB cable is usually included with your iPhone 5S by Apple.
  2. Begin by plugging the Type F USB power plug adapter in the South African power outlet. You can identify this plug outlet by two 4.8mm circular adjacent holes where the twin plug outlet pins go along with a pair of two grounding clips above and below.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the Apple Lightning power cord into the bottom of the mains USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. You can find the Lightning connector on your iPhone 5S situated at the bottom of the iPhone 5S.
  4. Turn on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the mobile screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 5S is recharging which takes around 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet by using a two pinned Schuko Type F USB adapter

How to use a Type M power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type M power adapter to charge the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge your iPhone 5S using a South African power outlet you'll need to use a Type M USB power plug adapter [9] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (typically already supplied with your device by Apple).
  2. Begin by taking the Type M USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the power outlet. You can identify this power outlet by the 3 large round holes forming a triangle configuration for live, neutral and earth pins.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector is situated at bottom of the iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Turn on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of your phone will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone is powering up, typically taking roughly 1-4 hours to recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type M power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet

How to use a Type N power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector and a Type N power charger to charge the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet.

  1. To power the iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet you will need to use a Type N USB power plug adapter [11] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple should usually include the USB cable with your iPhone 5S).
  2. Start by taking the Type N USB power plug adapter and inserting it into the power supply. This squashed hexagon shaped power supply, sometimes known as the Type N power outlet [10], looks like 3 circular holes forming a flattened triangle configuration for live, neutral and ground pins.
  3. Connect the USB end of the USB Lightning power cord into the bottom of the mains power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Turn on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of your phone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone 5S is charging, typically taking roughly 1-4 hours to completely recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type N power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a South African power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - South Africa Wikipedia web page
  2. Apple - official iPhone user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type C power outlet
  4. Type C USB power plug adapter - Conforming to Europlug specifications, the Type C USB power plug adapter incorporates two 4 mm rounded pins spaced 19 mm apart. It is engineered to adapt electrical outlets commonly found in Europe, converting them to USB-compatible charging ports..
  5. USB to Apple Lightning cable - The Apple Lightning cable is a charging and syncing cable for more recent Apple devices and connects compatible iPhones and iPads to a USB port.
  6. iec.ch - Type F power outlet
  7. Type F USB power plug adapter - Compliant with Europlugs and CEE 7/17 specifications, the Type F or Schuko adapter is engineered to adapt German electrical power outlets into USB-compatible ports..
  8. iec.ch - Type M power outlet
  9. Type M USB power plug adapter - South African Type M USB chargers have three large circular pins in a triangular shape with the top earthed pin longer and larger in diameter.
  10. iec.ch - Type N power outlet
  11. Type N USB power plug adapter - The three 4mm rounded pins on a grounded Brazilian Type N USB charger form a flattened triangular pattern.
  12. 4 Port USB Wall Charger - A 4-port USB wall charger is an electrical device that provides simultaneous charging for up to four USB-compatible devices. It often includes interchangeable international plug adapters for global use..