Charging the iPhone in Costa Rica

A guide showing how to recharge the iPhone from a Costa Rican power outlet using the Apple 30-pin cable and a three pinned Type A power adapter and charging the iPhone using a three pin Type B USB plug.

Costa Rican power outlet

Varying complicated combinations of region codes and plug types can all be daunting when planning on staying in a foreign country especially if you've never visited before. With only a handful of different types of plug sockets being used in the world this guide tells you exactly what to buy in advance to power the iPhone in Costa Rica. These guidelines have been written to stop travellers having to worry if they'll be able to power their iPhone when they are abroad.The following step by step guide will show you exactly how to supply power to your iPhone when travelling to Costa Rica by using their types B or A Costa Rican 120 volt 60Hz power outlets, a majority of Costa Ricans will typically use Type B wall outlets. If your iPhone charges slowly or does not power up when you are visiting Costa Rica from a different country then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically electrical devices which come from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts either take longer to charge or won't turn on, so check that your device is dual voltage (normally indicated by 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional power converter to ensure proper use.

This page details the iPhone 1st generation, the original iPhone is missing some features which have since been introduced to more recent iPhones. Visit the Apple category page for a full range of Apple iPhones. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 3 or greater on the iPhone.

Charging the iPhone in Costa Rica

Can you use the iPhone in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can connect the iPhone to a Costa Rican power outlet by using the correct power adaptor.

What is the best travel charger for the iPhone in Costa Rica?

When you are travelling to more than one country then the best international travel charger for Costa Rica to buy is a multiple USB charger which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two types of power outlets in Costa Rica (types B and A) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A. As these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 - 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa just by switching the included heads over. If your type of iPhone can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from faster recharging times with one of these USB travel chargers along with support for more power hungry devices. Unlike other travel adapters this means you can charge more than one device simultaneously without needing to pack individual travel chargers. Only bringing a single lightweight USB travel charger will keep the weight and size down, making it ideal to store in hand luggage. Because of their space saving flexibility these types of chargers 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 power outlet.

For those travelling frequently we suggest buying this type of versatile travel charger at your preferred electronics retailer; the multipurpose power charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for powering multiple USB devices in numerous different countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Costa Rica

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge 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 useful when visiting regions with unstable power supplies. These power adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both Costa Rica and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international 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 Costa Rica 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 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 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 Costa Rica. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPhone in Costa Rica?

Charging the iPhone from a Costa Rican power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

A guide showing how to recharge the iPhone from a Costa Rican power outlet using the Apple 30-pin cable and a three pinned Type A power adapter.

  1. To power the iPhone using a Costa Rican 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 should typically include this cable when you buy the iPhone.
  2. First insert the Type A USB power plug adapter in the power supply. You can identify this plug outlet by two thin slots next to each other for live and neutral blades.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the mains USB charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone. The iPhone dock connector is found at bottom of the iPhone.
  4. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPhone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone is charging, typically taking roughly one to four hours to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Charging the iPhone from a Costa Rican power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

How to use a Type B power charger for charging your iPhone from a Costa Rican power outlet

Using a USB 30 pin Apple cable with a three pin Type B USB charger to recharge the iPhone with a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. To charge the iPhone using a Costa Rican power outlet you'll need to use a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] - Apple should normally include this cable when you buy the iPhone.
  2. Plug the Type B USB power plug adapter in the power outlet. You can recognise this power outlet by two thin slots parallel to each other where the blades go with a single hole below for the grounded pin.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the bottom of the power adapter and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone. The iPhone dock connector is found at bottom of the iPhone.
  4. Turn on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of your iPhone will display a charge icon to indicate that the mobile is recharging which typically takes around 1 - 4 hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for charging your iPhone from a Costa Rican power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Costa Rican Wikipedia web page
  2. Apple - the original iPhone product manual
  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. 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..