How to charge the iPhone 3GS from a power outlet in American Samoa

Using the USB 30-pin Apple connector and a 2 pinned Type A power charger to recharge the iPhone 3GS with an American Samoan power outlet, recharging the iPhone 3GS using a Type B power charger and recharging the iPhone 3GS using a Type F power plug

American Samoan power outlet

If packing for a vacation to American Samoa it's helpful to know in advance if you can power all your common electrical devices when you reach your destination. But, by not knowing which power socket is used in American Samoa you could end up either weighing your luggage down with unnecessary spare adaptors or pack the wrong adaptor, therefore leaving you needing to purchase a suitable charger on arrival. Varying complicated voltages and standards can all be daunting when planning to travel to another country, especially if you've never visited before. This page has been specifically written to help assist travellers wanting to charge their iPhone 3GS when abroad.When you're visiting American Samoa these instructions show how to power the iPhone 3GS using their standard types I, A, B or F American Samoan 120 volt 60Hz power outlets, most American Samoans use Type I plug outlets. If your iPhone 3GS charges slowly or does not power up when you are travelling to American Samoa from a different country please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically electrical devices which originated from a different country which use a higher voltage (for example 240 volts) sometimes take longer to charge or won't power up, so check that your device is dual voltage (normally marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional transformer to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 6 or greater on the iPhone 3GS.

Charging the iPhone 3GS in American Samoa

Can the iPhone 3GS be used in American Samoa?

You can use the iPhone 3GS in American Samoa by using the correct power convertor.

What is the best power charger for recharging the iPhone 3GS in American Samoa?

When you are travelling with more than your iPhone 3GS and visiting more than one country the best travel adapter for American Samoa to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are four different standards of plug sockets that American Samoans use (I, A, B and F) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable plugs and can handle 100 to 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by changing the included plugs. If your model of iPhone 3GS supports Fast Charge (note not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from quicker charging times by using one of these types of power chargers, along with additional support for certain power hungry devices like tablets.

Unlike other chargers this means you can power multiple devices at the same time without needing to bring individual power chargers or using up additional wall outlets. Only needing a single international travel charger will help keep the weight and size down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage whilst travelling. Due to their space saving versatility these types of travel adapters can be used when back at home as well as abroad so when you’re not travelling they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple smartphones and tablets without needing an additional wall outlet.

For those travelling regularly we recommend buying this type of flexible power adapter online. The multipurpose travel adapter illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for recharging multiple USB devices in numerous different countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for American Samoa

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 3GS, however for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which is crucial for visitors of counties with unreliable or unstable power grids to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both American Samoa and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international 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 American Samoa using type B 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. This is a much cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with one less AC outlet at almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 2 AC outlets but offers a flexible 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 American Samoa. [12] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging the iPhone 3GS in American Samoa?

How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet

Using a USB 30 pin Apple connector with a Type A power adapter to charge the iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. In order to charge your iPhone 3GS using an American Samoan power outlet you'll need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5], Apple will usually supply the USB cable when you purchase the iPhone 3GS.
  2. Start the process by inserting the Type A USB power plug adapter in the wall outlet. You can identify the plug outlet by 2 thin slots adjacent to each other where the two pins go.
  3. Then connect one end of the Apple cord into the mains USB charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 3GS dock connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 3GS.
  4. Turn on the American Samoan 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 3GS is charging, typically taking around 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet

Using a USB 30 pin Apple connector with a Type B power adapter to charge the iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge the iPhone 3GS using an American Samoan power outlet you will need to use a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] - Apple typically supply this USB cable when you buy the iPhone 3GS.
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type B USB power plug adapter in the wall outlet. The plug outlet (technically known as a Type B power outlet [6]) can be recognised by the 2 slots next to each other where the short twin blades sit with a semicircular hole below for the grounded pin.
  3. Then connect one end of the Apple cord into the mains USB charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 3GS dock connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 3GS.
  4. Turn on the American Samoan 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 3GS is charging, typically taking around 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet

Charging the iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet by using a two pinned Schuko Type F USB adapter

Using a USB 30 pin Apple connector with a Type F power adapter to charge the iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. To supply power to your iPhone 3GS from the American Samoan power outlet you will need a Type F USB power plug adapter [9] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (the cable is typically included with the iPhone 3GS by Apple).
  2. Insert the Type F USB power plug adapter in the power supply. You can identify the plug outlet by two 4.8mm circular adjacent holes where the plug outlet pins go and a pair of two thin grounding clips on the top and bottom.
  3. Then connect one end of the Apple cord into the mains USB charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 3GS dock connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 3GS.
  4. Turn on the American Samoan 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 3GS is charging, typically taking around 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPhone 3GS from an American Samoan power outlet by using a two pinned Schuko Type F USB adapter

Powering the iPhone 3GS with an American Samoan power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type J USB adapter

Using the USB 30-pin Apple connector and a 3 pinned Type I power charger to recharge the iPhone 3GS with an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPhone 3GS from the American Samoan power outlet you'll need a Type I USB power plug adapter [11] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (the USB cable is usually included with your iPhone 3GS by Apple).
  2. Firstly plug the Type I USB power plug adapter in the American Samoan power outlet. You can identify the plug supply by three thin slots in an upside-down triangle shape with a single vertical pin at the bottom and the top two slots sloping upward for the live, neutral and earth.
  3. Connect one end of the cable into the USB mains charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 3GS dock connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 3GS.
  4. Turn on the American Samoan power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the cellphone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone is recharging which typically takes around 60-240 minutes to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 3GS with an American Samoan power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type J USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - American Samoa Wikipedia web page
  2. Apple - official iPhone 3GS user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type A power outlet
  4. 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..
  5. USB to Apple 30 pin cable - This connects compatible iPhones, iPods and iPads to a USB port for charging, syncing and playing music.
  6. iec.ch - Type B power outlet
  7. 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..
  8. iec.ch - Type F power outlet
  9. 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..
  10. iec.ch - Type I power outlet
  11. Type I USB power plug adapter - Type I USB chargers use three short flat blades in a V format with the top blade acting as a grounding pin.
  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..