How to charge the iPhone 3G when planning a trip to Australia

How to connect an Australian power outlet to the iPhone 3G

Australian power outlet

Varying different combinations of standards and plugs can all be daunting when planning to travel to another country, especially if you've never visited before. This guide was specifically written to prevent you worrying if you'll be able to charge your iPhone 3G abroad.This page has useful instructions demonstrating exactly what you'll need to supply power to the iPhone 3G when staying in Australia using their 230 volt 50Hz Type I Australian power outlet. When visiting Australia from another country please double check your iPhone 3G can accept a 240 volt supply. If it was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 120 volts ensure that your device is dual-voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) otherwise you may need to use an additional converter to stop the device from overloading during charging. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 4 or greater on the iPhone 3G.

Charging the iPhone 3G in Australia

Can you use the iPhone 3G in Australia?

Yes, you can connect the iPhone 3G to an Australian power outlet.

What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 3G in Australia?

If travelling to more than one country then the best international travel charger for Australia is a multiple USB port adapter which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. As these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable pins and can handle from 100 volts - 240 volts will mean you can travel to over 100 countries around the world simply by changing the supplied plugs. If your type of iPhone 3G can support Fast Charge (not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from quicker recharging times by using one of these types of power adapters, and support for more power hungry devices. This will allow you to recharge more than one device at once without needing to pack individual travel adapters for your trip or using up additional wall sockets. By only packing a single international USB travel charger will help keep the weight and size down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage whilst travelling. Because of their space saving flexibility these types of adapters can be used at home so when you’re not on holiday they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, smartphones and speakers with only a single power outlet.

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

Alternative travel adapter for Australia

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world who only have USB devices such as the iPhone 3G, but for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power strips offer surge protection which can be necessary for visitors of regions with unreliable power supplies. These travel adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Continental 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 most popular compact power converter for travellers originating from North America going to Australia using type B American 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 from North America using type B plugs and is a much more cost effective 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 perfect for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting Australia. [6] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 3G in Australia?

Powering the iPhone 3G with an Australian power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type J USB adapter

Using a USB 30-pin Apple connector with a Type I power adapter to charge your iPhone 3G from an Australian power outlet.

  1. In order to power the iPhone 3G using the Australian power outlet you'll need to buy a Type I USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] - Apple typically supply this USB cable when you purchase the iPhone 3G.
  2. Plug in the Type I USB power plug adapter in the Australian power outlet. This wall outlet (sometimes known as the Type I power outlet [3]) can be identified by 3 slots for the live, neutral and earth blades. Please note that the neutral and live pins are configured reversed compared to Argentinian plug outlets, please check that your Type I power adaptor is compatible in Australia.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the USB power charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 3G. The iPhone 3G dock connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 3G.
  4. Turn on the Australian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of the phone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone 3G is charging, typically taking roughly 1-4 hours to completely recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 3G with an Australian power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type J USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Australian wikipedia page
  2. Apple - official iPhone 3G user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type I power outlet
  4. Type I USB power plug adapter - Type I USB chargers use three short flat blades in a V format with the top blade acting as a grounding pin.
  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. 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..