How to charge the iPhone 5 when staying in Greece

Using a USB Lightning connector and a Europlug Type C power charger to recharge your iPhone 5 from a Greek power outlet and charging the iPhone 5 using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter.

Greek power outlet

Various region codes and plugs can often be confusing when planning to travel to a different country if you've never visited before. With only a handful of different types of standards used in the world this article tells you exactly what to buy in advance to charge your iPhone 5 in Greece. This page has been specifically written to stop you needing to worry if you'll be able to charge your iPhone 5 when you are travelling abroad.When visiting Greece the following instructions show charging your iPhone 5 using their F or C type 230 volt 50Hz power outlets, Type F plug outlets are normally used by most Greeks. Most power supplies differ regionally so please read the WikiConnections world power supplies page for a full list showing regions and countries. If travelling to Greece from another region please make sure the iPhone 5 can accept a 240 volt supply. If the iPhone 5 came from a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110v make sure that your device is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional converter to avoid the device from overheating when powering up. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5.

Charging the iPhone 5 in Greece

Can the iPhone 5 be used in Greece?

You can connect the iPhone 5 to a Greek power outlet by using a power convertor.

What is the best power charger for the iPhone 5 in Greece?

If travelling to more than one country the best travel charger for Greece is a multiple USB charger which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Greeks use two different types of plug sockets (F and C) and using a travel charger like this ensures that you are covered for type C. Because these chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 volts to 240 volts will mean that you can travel to over 100 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by changing the supplied heads over. If your model of iPhone 5 can support Fast Charge (please note that not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from much faster recharging times by using one of these types of USB travel adapters, along with additional compatibility with more power hungry devices like tablets.

Unlike other travel adapters this will also allow you to charge more than one device simultaneously without needing to buy individual travel chargers. Because you are only bringing a single travel charger will help keep the weight down, making it perfect to store in hand baggage. Due to their flexibility these types of adapters can be used when back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can be used overnight charging multiple phones, tablets and speakers without needing an additional wall outlet.

If you travel regularly we recommend searching for this type of versatile travel adapter online, the multipurpose travel adapter illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for recharging multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries around the world on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Greece

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPhone 5, however for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power adapters offer surge protection which can be useful for visitors of counties with unreliable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected appliances from voltage spikes. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Greece and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling portable power converter for travellers originating from America visiting Greece.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers from the US using type B plugs and is a more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with one less AC outlet for 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 perfect for most travellers from around the world visiting Greece. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for the iPhone 5 in Greece?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Greek power outlet

A page on how to power your iPhone 5 from a Greek power outlet with the Lightning Apple connector and a Type C power charger.

  1. To supply power to the iPhone 5 using a Greek power outlet you will need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (typically included with your device).
  2. Start the process by taking the Type C USB power plug adapter and plugging it into the Greek power outlet. You can identify this wall supply by 2 adjacent holes.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the cord into the USB power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5 under the home button.
  4. Turn on the Greek power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of your mobile screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is powering up, typically taking around 1 to 4 hours to fully recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Greek power outlet

Powering the iPhone 5 with a Greek power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

Using the Lightning Apple connector and a Schuko Type F power charger to power your iPhone 5 from a Greek power outlet.

  1. In order to charge the iPhone 5 from the Greek power outlet you'll need to use a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], Apple will normally include the USB cable with your iPhone 5.
  2. Begin by inserting the Type F USB power plug adapter in the wall outlet. This round wall supply (known as the Type F power outlet [6]) can be recognised by the two large circular holes 19 mm adjacent to each other for live and neutral pins, plus a pair of two thin metal grounding clips above and below.
  3. Then connect one end of the Apple USB Lightning charging cable into the bottom of the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5 under the home button.
  4. Switch on the Greek power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of the iPhone 5 will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone 5 is recharging and takes between 60-240 minutes to recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5 with a Greek power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Greece country Wikipedia page
  2. Apple - official iPhone 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..