Charging a Beats Pill in Japan

Instructions on how to charge your Beats Pill from a Japanese power outlet by using micro USB Type B cable and a three pinned Type A power charger and how to charge a Beats Pill using a three pinned Type B power charger.

Japanese power outlet

Various combinations of standards and plugs can all be confusing when planning to travel to another country to the first time traveller. These guidelines were specifically written to stop people having to worry if they'll be able to power their Beats Pill abroad.This page contains instructions which shows what you'll need to power the Beats Pill when you're visiting Japan using their standard Type B or A 100 volt 60Hz plug outlets, most Japanese will normally use Type B plug outlets. Most power supplies vary depending on which area you are travelling to therefore please read the Asia page for a full list of countries. If your Beats Pill slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when you are travelling to Japan from another country please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Devices which originate from a country which use a higher voltage such as 240 volts sometimes take longer to charge or won't turn on, so check that your device is a dual voltage device (you'll find these are normally indicated by 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional power converter to ensure proper use. If you plan to stay somewhere such as Tokyo or Yokohama we recommend reading the Japan National Tourism Organization Web Site [1] for more indepth information on travelling to the location.

The following instructions show you how to connect to Beats Pill 2 speakers to the Japanese power outlet. 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 connecting Beats Pill 2 speakers to any device we recommend downloading the latest Beats firmware from the official Beats Pill support site [2] using the Beats updater tool.

Charging a Beats Pill in Japan

Can you use a Beats Pill in Japan?

Yes, you can connect a Beats Pill to a Japanese power outlet.

What is the best travel charger for a Beats Pill in Japan?

When you are travelling to more than one country then the best international travel charger for Japan to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. Japanese use two different standards of wall outlets (types B and A) and using a power charger like this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable plugs and handle 100 volts to 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries around the world simply by changing the supplied plugs. If your model of Beats Pill is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster charging times with one of these types of USB power chargers, along with support for more power hungry devices. Unlike other travel adapters this means you can power more than one device at the same time without needing to pack seperate travel adapters for your trip or using up additional wall outlets. Because you are only needing to bring a single travel charger will also keep the overall weight down, making it perfect to fold up in hand baggage while travelling and on hand for charging your Beats Pill at the airport or on a flight. Because of their flexibility these types of power chargers can be used when back at home not just abroad so when you’re not travelling they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, smartphones and speakers without using up an additional wall outlet.

For those travelling frequently we suggest buying a multipurpose travel adapter similar to this online. The multipurpose travel charger illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries around the world with perfect reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Japan

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the Beats Pill, however for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power converters 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 to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power converters are 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 travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular compact power converter for travellers originating from North America going to Japan using type B US plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from the US using type B plugs. This is a much cheaper 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 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 ideal for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting Japan. [9] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for a Beats Pill in Japan?

Powering a Beats Pill with a Japanese power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Instructions on how to charge your Beats Pill from a Japanese power outlet by using micro USB Type B cable and a three pinned Type A power charger.

  1. To supply power to the Beats Pill from a Japanese power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [5] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [6].
  2. First you'll need to insert the Type A USB power plug adapter in the power supply. You can recognise this power outlet by the 2 thin adjacent slots next to each other.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB micro Type B connector into the mains USB charger and the other end into the power in on a Beats Pill. The power in socket is found at the rear of the speaker to the right of the Bluetooth LED.
  4. Switch on the Japanese 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 around 3 to 4 hours and the Beats Pill playback time at full power capacity is around seven hours. When you have reached 20% battery life the port will turn red and it will need charging again soon. [AD]
Powering a Beats Pill with a Japanese power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

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

Instructions on how to charge a Beats Pill from a Japanese power outlet using type B USB cable with a three pin Type B USB charger.

  1. If you want to charge your Beats Pill using the Japanese power outlet you'll need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [8] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [6].
  2. Begin the process by inserting the Type B USB power plug adapter into the Japanese power outlet. You can identify this plug outlet by two thin slots parallel to each other for live and neutral blades with a hole below for the longer ground pin.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB micro Type B cable into the mains USB charger and the other end into the power in on a Beats Pill. The power in socket is found at the rear of the speaker to the right of the Bluetooth LED.
  4. Switch on the Japanese power outlet.
  5. The USB jack will flash red while charging and glow green when fully charged. From a dead battery the charging time is about around 3 to 4 hours and the battery life at full power capacity is around seven hours. When you have reached 20% battery life the jack will turn red and it will need charging again soon. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your Beats Pill from a Japanese power outlet

See also

  1. Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization Web Site
  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..