Charging the iPad 4 from a power outlet in South Africa

A guide showing how to charge your iPad 4 with a South African power outlet with the Apple USB Lightning connector with a three pin Type M power adapter, charging the iPad 4 using a double pinned Type C USB plug and charging the iPad 4 using a two pin Type F USB charger

South African power outlet

Different region codes and voltages can all be daunting when planning on staying in another country if you've never been there before. These instructions have been specifically written to assist people wanting to power their iPad 4 abroad.When you are travelling to South Africa this page has instructions showing you charging the iPad 4 by using the types M, C, F or N 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, a majority of South Africans will normally use Type M plugs in their wall outlets. When travelling to South Africa from a different country please check that your iPad 4 can be charged using a 240v supply. If it came from a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110 volts) check the device is dual voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional power converter to stop the device from over-heating whilst powering it up. If you're planning on staying somewhere like Cape Town or Johannesburg please refer to the South African country page on Wikipedia [1] for more indepth information. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad 4.

Charging the iPad 4 in South Africa

Can you use the iPad 4 in South Africa?

You can use the iPad 4 in South Africa.

What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPad 4 in South Africa?

If you are travelling with more than just your iPad 4 the best travel charger for South Africa to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. South Africans use four different types of power outlets (types M, C, F and N) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type C.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable pins and can handle 100 to 240 volts will mean you can travel to multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa simply by changing the heads over. If your type of iPad 4 is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker charging times by using one of these USB power chargers, plus additional support for certain power hungry devices.

This means you can recharge multiple devices at once without needing to bring seperate travel chargers for your South African trip. By only packing a single USB travel charger will help keep the overall weight and size down, making it perfect to store in hand luggage and on hand for recharging your iPad 4 at an airport or on your flight. Due to their versatility these types of chargers can be used when back at home as well as abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, smartphones and e-readers using only a single power outlet.

We recommend buying this type of versatile power charger at your preferred electronics retailer. The multipurpose travel charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for South Africa

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to charge devices using USB, but for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which is necessary for travellers to counties with unreliable power grids to prevent damage to any connected appliances. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 countries around the world:

  • 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 going to South Africa.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Likewise having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from America using type B plugs. This is a much more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with just one 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 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 perfect for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting South Africa. [12] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPad 4 in South Africa?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a South African power outlet

A guide showing how to power the iPad 4 from a South African power outlet by using a USB Lightning Apple cable and a Type C Europlug power adapter.

  1. In order to power your iPad 4 from a South African power outlet you'll need to buy a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - usually supplied with your device by Apple.
  2. Start by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. You can identify the power supply by the two round adjacent holes next to each other where the live and neutral pins slide into.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the tablet will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad is recharging, typically taking between 1 to 4 hours to recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a South African power outlet

Powering the iPad 4 with a South African power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

A guide showing how to power the iPad 4 with a South African power outlet using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a Type F Schuko power charger.

  1. To charge your iPad 4 using the South African power outlet you will need to use a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple should normally supply this USB cable when you buy the iPad 4).
  2. Begin the process by taking the Type F USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the South African power outlet. You can identify the power supply by the two large adjacent holes next to each other where the live and neutral pins slide into, plus two grounding clips at the top and bottom.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB charging cord into the bottom of the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the tablet will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is recharging, typically taking roughly 1 - 4 hours to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPad 4 with a South African power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

Charging the iPad 4 from a South African power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type M USB adapter

A guide showing how to charge your iPad 4 with a South African power outlet with the Apple USB Lightning connector with a three pin Type M power adapter.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPad 4 using the South African power outlet you'll need a Type M USB power plug adapter [9] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will usually include this USB cable with the iPad 4).
  2. Firstly you'll need to plug the Type M USB power plug adapter into the South African power outlet. You can identify the wall outlet by the three circular holes forming a triangle pattern.
  3. Connect one end of the Apple power cable into the bottom of the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad 4.
  4. Switch on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the iPad screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is charging which typically takes around one to four hours to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Charging the iPad 4 from a South African power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type M USB adapter

How to use a Type N power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a South African power outlet

Using the Apple USB Lightning connector with a Type N power adapter to power the iPad 4 from a South African power outlet.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPad 4 using a South African power outlet you'll need a Type N USB power plug adapter [11] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (usually supplied with your iPad 4 by Apple).
  2. Insert the Type N USB power plug adapter into the power outlet. The hexagon shaped wall outlet (known as the Type N power outlet [10]) can be recognised by 3 large circular holes in a flattened triangle pattern for live, neutral and ground pins.
  3. Plug in one end of the Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad 4.
  4. Switch on the South African power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of your iPad 4 screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is charging and takes around 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type N power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a South African power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - South African country page on Wikipedia
  2. Apple - official iPad 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..