Charging the mobile phone when planning a trip to Canada

How to connect a Canadian power outlet to any mobile phone

Canadian power outlet

If you are planning to travel it's useful to know if you can use any common electronics when you're there. But by not knowing which power supply is used in Canada you may pack the wrong power charger, meaning having to purchase a potentially expensive charger when you need to recharge which might not be compatible and cause problems with your mobile phone. Various combinations of frequencies and standards can all be daunting when planning to stay in another country especially for the first time traveller. This page was written to help assist people wanting to power their mobile phone when they're staying in Canada.This page is a step by step guide which shows exactly how to charge the mobile phone when you are visiting Canada using the 120 volt 60Hz Type A wall outlet, the Canadians will use a NEMA 1-15 P ungrounded plug for wall outlets. If the mobile phone does not power up or charges slowly when you are travelling to Canada from another region please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically electrical devices which come from a country which use a higher voltage (for example 240 volts) may take longer to charge or won't turn on, so check the device is a dual voltage device (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional power converter to ensure proper use.

This how-to guide is for a generic mobile phone and assume the phone has a standard micro USB port, Bluetooth connectivity and a headphone socket. For a specific mobile phone please visit the Mobile phones page for a full list of makes and models.

Charging any mobile phone in Canada

Can you use any mobile phone in Canada?

You can use any mobile phone in Canada.

What is the best power adapter for any mobile phone in Canada?

When travelling to multiple countries and bringing along more than your mobile phone then the best travel charger for Canada to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. As these chargers come with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 to 240 volts will mean you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by switching the supplied plugs over. If your type of mobile phone is compatible with Fast Charge (please note not all USB devices can) then you'll benefit from faster charging times by using one of these USB power adapters along with compatibility with certain power hungry devices.

Unlike other chargers this will allow you to power more than one device at once without needing to bring seperate travel chargers. By only bringing a single international travel charger will keep the weight and size down, making it perfect to store in hand baggage. Because of their versatility these types of chargers can be used when back at home so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple smartphones and tablets with just a single wall outlet.

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

Alternative travel adapter for Canada

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the mobile phone, but for those 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 is useful for visitors of counties with unstable power supplies. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both Canada and over 150 destinations:

  • 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 compact option for travellers originating from America going to Canada using 3 pin type B American plug sockets.
  • 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 the US using type B plugs. This gives practically the same functionality as the BESTEK with 1 less AC outlet for almost half the 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 most travellers from around the world visiting Canada. [5] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for any mobile phone in Canada?

Charging any mobile phone from a Canadian power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

Using micro USB type B cord with a Type A USB charger to charge your mobile phone with a Canadian power outlet.

  1. If you want to power your mobile phone from a Canadian power outlet you will need to buy a Type A USB power adapter [3] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [4].
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type A USB power adapter into the Canadian power outlet. You can recognise this power supply by the two slots adjacent to each other for live and neutral.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the USB charging port on any mobile phone. These instructions assume your phone uses a Micro USB type B port. Please refer to the instructions supplied with your mobile to check this is correct and visit the Mobile phones page to see if your model is listed (please note you can usually connect the cable which came with your mobile phone for charging with any USB charger).
  4. The USB charging port can normally be found either on the bottom or side of the mobile.
  5. Turn on the Canadian power outlet.
  6. The battery indicator on the mobile phone should indicate that the device is charging, refer to your phone`s instruction manual to find out how long it will take. [AD]
Charging any mobile phone from a Canadian power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia.org web page about Canada
  2. iec.ch - Type A power outlet
  3. Type A USB power adapter - An unearthed Type A USB charger has 2 parallel rectangular flat blades with small holes near the tip of each blade.
  4. 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.
  5. 4 Port USB Wall Charger - A universal USB charger capable of charging up to 4 USB devices with swappable international adapters.