Charging the iPhone 3G when staying in Costa Rica

Using the Apple 30-pin connector and a Type A USB adapter to power your iPhone 3G with a Costa Rican power outlet and how to charge the iPhone 3G using a Type B power adapter.

Costa Rican power outlet

Differing combinations of voltages and plug types can often lead to confusion when planning to stay in another country, especially to the first time traveller. This isn't as complex as it first appears, with only a handful of different types of common standards being used throughout the world this guide shows exactly what to purchase in advance to charge the iPhone 3G . These guidelines have been written to stop people needing to worry if they can charge the iPhone 3G when travelling abroad.This page has useful instructions telling you exactly what you'll need to charge the iPhone 3G when you're visiting Costa Rica by using their types B or A 120 volt 60Hz power outlets, most Costa Ricans will normally use Type B power outlets. If your iPhone 3G does not power up or charges slowly when you are visiting Costa Rica from another region then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Electrical devices which come from a country which use a higher voltage such as 240 volts sometimes take longer to charge or won't power up, so check your iPhone 3G is dual voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) otherwise you may need to use an additional transformer to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 4 or greater on the iPhone 3G.

Charging the iPhone 3G in Costa Rica

Can the iPhone 3G be used in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can use the iPhone 3G in Costa Rica.

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

If travelling to multiple countries then the best travel adapter for Costa Rica to buy is a multiple USB charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Costa Ricans use two different standards of power outlets (B and A) and using a power adapter like this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle from 100 volts - 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa just by switching the included heads. If your type of iPhone 3G supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker charging times by using one of these types of travel adapters plus additional compatibility with certain power hungry devices like tablets. Unlike other adapters this means you can recharge more than one device at once without needing to buy multiple power chargers on your Costa Rican trip or occupying additional wall sockets. Only packing a single USB travel charger will also keep the size down, making it ideal to store in hand luggage as well as being suitable for charging your iPhone 3G at an airport or on the flight. Because of their flexibility these types of power chargers can be used when back at home as well as abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can sit overnight charging multiple tablets, smartphones and e-readers without needing an additional power outlet.

We suggest searching for this type of versatile power charger online. The 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 Costa Rica

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country 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 strips offer surge protection which is necessary for visitors of regions with unreliable or unstable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These travel converters come supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Costa Rica and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact power adapter for travellers originating from 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 travel adapter is also aimed at travellers from America using type B plugs. This gives practically the same set of features as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet at almost half the 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 wide range of travellers from around the world visiting Costa Rica. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 3G in Costa Rica?

Powering the iPhone 3G with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using the Apple 30-pin connector and a Type A USB adapter to power your iPhone 3G with a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. In order to supply power to your iPhone 3G from a Costa Rican power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5], Apple will usually include the cable with the iPhone 3G.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the Costa Rican power outlet. This plug outlet (called the Type A power outlet [3]) can be recognised by the two slots adjacent to each other.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the USB 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. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of the phone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the mobile is powering up taking between one to four hours to fully recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 3G with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

How to use a Type B power charger for charging your iPhone 3G from a Costa Rican power outlet

A guide showing how to recharge the iPhone 3G from a Costa Rican power outlet using the 30-pin Apple connector with a 3 pin Type B USB charger.

  1. In order to power the iPhone 3G from the Costa Rican power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] - typically already included with your iPhone 3G.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the Costa Rican power outlet. You can recognise this wall outlet by the two thin slots parallel to each other for live and neutral blades with a single semicircular shaped hole below for the long ground pin.
  3. Then connect one end of the Apple cord into the bottom of the power adapter 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 Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of your iPhone 3G screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 3G is charging, typically taking roughly 60 to 240 minutes to completely recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for charging your iPhone 3G from a Costa Rican power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Costa Rican Wikipedia web page
  2. Apple - official iPhone 3G user guide
  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..