How to charge a Beats Pill when planning a trip to Costa Rica

A guide showing you how to charge your Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet using USB type B connector and a three pinned Type A power charger and powering a Beats Pill using a three pin Type B USB charger.

Costa Rican power outlet

When planning to travel to Costa Rica it can often be useful to know in advance if you'll be able to use any electrical devices when you arrive. By not knowing which power supply is being used in Costa Rica you are likely to bring the wrong charger, therefore having to purchase a suitable charger on arrival. Differing voltages and plugs can all be confusing when planning to stay in another country especially to the first time traveller. These guidelines have been written to prevent travellers needing to worry if they can charge their Beats Pill abroad.This page is a simple guide telling you exactly how to charge your Beats Pill when you are visiting Costa Rica by using the B or A type Costa Rican 120 volt 60Hz wall outlets, Type B plug outlets will be normally used by most Costa Ricans. If the Beats Pill slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when visiting Costa Rica from another country please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Devices which come from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts either take longer to charge or won't turn on, check that the Beats Pill is dual-voltage (you'll find these are usually marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional power transformer to ensure proper use. If you plan on visiting a Costa Rican destination such as San José or Limón we also suggest referring to the wikipedia.org entry about Costa Rica [1] for more information prior to the location.

The following instructions show you how to connect to Beats Pill 2 speakers to the Costa Rican power outlet. Please note that these instructions refer to the Beats Pill 2 and not the original Beats Pill first generation, visit the Beats page for the full range of Beats bluetooth speakers. Before you connect Beats Pill 2 speakers to any device we recommend downloading the latest Beats Pill 2 firmware update from the official Beats Pill support site [2] using the Beats firmware updater.

Charging a Beats Pill in Costa Rica

Can the Beats Pill be used in Costa Rica?

You can use a Beats Pill in Costa Rica by using the correct power convertor.

What is the best power charger for recharging a Beats Pill in Costa Rica?

When travelling to more than one country and bringing more than just your Beats Pill the best travel power adapter for Costa Rica is a multiple USB charger which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. Costa Ricans use two different standards of plug sockets (types B and A) and using a power adapter like this ensures that you are covered for type A.

As these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 volts - 240 volts will mean you can travel to over 100 countries around the world simply by changing the supplied heads. If your type of Beats Pill can support Fast Charge (not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from quicker charging times by using one of these types of power chargers, along with support for certain power hungry devices like tablets. Unlike other chargers having a 4 port adapter means you can charge more than one device at the same time without needing to pack seperate power adapters on your Costa Rican trip. Only bringing a single USB travel charger will also keep the overall weight down, making it perfect to fold up in hand luggage and suitable for recharging your Beats Pill at an airport or on a plane. Due to their versatility these types of power adapters can be used when back at home not just abroad so when you’re not travelling they can be used overnight charging multiple smartphones and tablets without needing an additional wall outlet.

For those travelling frequently we suggest buying this type of flexible travel adapter at an electronics retailer - the multipurpose power charger illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully with multiple USB devices in numerous different countries around the world.

Alternative travel adapter for Costa Rica

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge devices using USB, but for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power converters offer surge protection which can be useful for travellers to regions with unreliable or unstable power supplies. These power adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Costa Rica and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular portable power converter for travellers originating from North America going to Costa Rica using type B American plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers from North America using type B plugs and is a much more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with only 1 less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 2 AC outlets but offers a more generous 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 perfect for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting Costa Rica. [9] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging a Beats Pill in Costa Rica?

Charging a Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

A guide showing you how to charge your Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet using USB type B connector and a three pinned Type A power charger.

  1. In order to power a Beats Pill using the Costa Rican power outlet you'll need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [5] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [6].
  2. Begin by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and plugging it in the power outlet. You can identify the plug supply by two thin slots next to each other.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable into the USB mains charger and the other end into the power in on a Beats Pill. The power in port can be found at the rear of the speaker next to the Bluetooth LED.
  4. Turn on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The USB port will flash red while charging and glow green when fully charged. From a dead battery the charging time is about between three to four hours and the battery life after a complete charge is around 7 hours. When you have reached 20 percent battery life the port will glow red and it will soon need charging again. [AD]
Charging a Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet

A page on how to charge a Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet with Micro USB type B cable and a three pin Type B USB charger.

  1. To power the Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [8] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [6].
  2. Plug in the Type B USB power plug adapter in the Costa Rican power outlet. This wall outlet, technically known as a Type B power outlet [7], can be identified by the 2 slots next to each other where the short live and neutral blades sit with a semicircular hole below for the grounded pin.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable into the bottom of the USB mains adapter and the other end into the power in on a Beats Pill. The power in socket can be found at the rear of the speaker to the right of the Bluetooth LED.
  4. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The USB jack will blink red while charging and glow green when fully charged. From an empty battery the charging time is about 3.5 hours and the Beats Pill playback time after a complete charge is roughly 7 hours. After 20 percent battery life the socket will turn red and it will soon need charging again. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your Beats Pill from a Costa Rican power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - wikipedia.org entry about Costa Rica
  2. Beatsbydre - official Beats Pill support site
  3. iec.ch - Type A power outlet
  4. Beatsbydre - instructions for charging the Beats Pill
  5. Type A USB power plug adapter - With its two-blade, ungrounded design, the Type A USB power plug adapter offers a straightforward way to convert electrical outlets in countries like the United States and Canada into USB ports for easy device charging..
  6. USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable - Used to connect USB devices which have a USB Mini-B port to computers, power supplies and other devices.
  7. iec.ch - Type B power outlet
  8. Type B USB power plug adapter - A Type B USB power plug adapter conforms to the NEMA 5-15 specifications, featuring 2 parallel flat blades and an extended grounding pin. Rated at 15A and 125 volts, suitable for use in the United States and Canada for converting domestic outlets to USB..
  9. 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..