How to charge the iPad Air in Russia

Using a USB Lightning cable and a Europlug Type C USB adapter to power the iPad Air with a Russian power outlet and charging the iPad Air using a double pin Schuko Type F power charger.

Russian power outlet

If you are planning a vacation it is helpful to know in advance if you can use your gadgets when you get there. However, by not knowing which power socket to expect you may end up either bringing unnecessary adaptors or pack the wrong power adaptor, meaning having to buy a suitable charger on arrival that might be incompatible. Different standards and voltages can all be confusing when planning to travel to another country if you've never been there before. These guidelines were specifically written to prevent people needing to worry if they can charge the iPad Air when staying abroad.When you're planning a trip to Russia the following instructions show how to charge the iPad Air using the F or C type Russian 220 volt 50Hz wall outlets, please be aware Type F wall outlets are normally used by a majority of Russians. If you are travelling to Russia from a different country please ensure your iPad Air can accept a 240 volt supply. If it came from a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110 volts double check your iPad Air is dual voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional power converter to stop the device from overloading during charging. If you plan on visiting destinations like Moscow or Yekaterinburg read the Russian Wikipedia web page [1] for more indepth details on travelling to the location. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Air.

Charging the iPad Air in Russia

Can the iPad Air be used in Russia?

Yes, you can use the iPad Air in Russia.

What is the best travel charger for the iPad Air in Russia?

When you are travelling with more than your iPad Air the best travel power adapter for Russia is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Russians use two different standards of wall outlets (types F and C) and using a power charger like this will ensure that you are covered for type C.

Because these types of chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle from 100 volts - 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by switching the included heads. If your type of iPad Air supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster charging times by using one of these types of power adapters, plus additional compatibility with certain power demanding devices like tablets.

Unlike other adapters having a 4 port charger means you can power more than one device simultaneously without needing to pack individual travel chargers. By only packing a single international travel charger will help keep the overall weight and size down, making it perfect to fold up in hand baggage while travelling and on hand for recharging your iPad Air at the airport or on a plane. Due to their space saving versatility these types of adapters can be used at home so when you’re not travelling they can be used overnight charging multiple tablets, smartphones and speakers without using up an additional wall outlet.

We recommend searching for a flexible power adapter of this nature online. The multipurpose travel charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Russia

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country wanting to charge devices using USB, but for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs these power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which is necessary when visiting regions with unreliable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power converters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Europe, North America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China 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 best selling portable option for travellers originating from America visiting Russia 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 originating from the US using type B plugs. This is a much more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with just 1 less AC outlet for almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 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 Russia. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPad Air in Russia?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Russian power outlet

Using a USB Lightning cable and a Europlug Type C USB adapter to power the iPad Air with a Russian power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge the iPad Air using the Russian power outlet you'll need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (normally already supplied with your iPad Air by Apple).
  2. Insert the Type C USB power plug adapter into the Russian power outlet. You can recognise this wall outlet by the 2 circular adjacent holes next to each other.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB charging cable into the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Russian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPad screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Air is powering up which takes between 60-240 minutes to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Russian power outlet

Powering the iPad Air with a Russian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

Using a USB Lightning connector and a Schuko Type F USB charger to power the iPad Air with a Russian power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to your iPad Air from a Russian power outlet you will need to use a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - typically already included with your iPad Air by Apple.
  2. Begin the process by taking the Type F USB power plug adapter and plugging it into the power outlet. You can recognise this power outlet by two large circular holes 19 mm apart from each other for live and neutral, plus thin grounding clips above and below.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB charging cord into the bottom of the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is situated at the bottom of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Russian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of the tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is powering up which typically takes between one to four hours to fully recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPad Air with a Russian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Russian Wikipedia web page
  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. 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..