Charging the iPad 4 when planning a trip to Puerto Rico

Using a Lightning connector with a Type A USB charger to charge your iPad 4 with a Puerto Rican power outlet and charging the iPad 4 using a Type B USB plug.

Puerto Rican power outlet

If you are packing for a holiday to Puerto Rico it can be helpful to know in advance if you'll be able to charge all your devices like cell phones or tablets when you arrive. But by not knowing which wall socket is being used in Puerto Rico you are more likely to bring the wrong adaptor, therefore leaving you needing to buy a potentially overpriced adaptor when you're there which might not be compatible and cause problems with your iPad 4. Various combinations of frequencies and standards can all be daunting when planning on travelling to another country for the first time traveller. The following useful guide will show exactly what you'll need to power your iPad 4 when staying in Puerto Rico using the types B or A 120 volt 60Hz wall outlets, Type B plug outlets are normally used by most Puerto Ricans. If the iPad 4 does not power up or charges slowly when you are travelling to Puerto Rico from another country check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically 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 (you'll find these are usually marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional voltage converter to ensure proper use. If you intend on visiting a Puerto Rican city like San Juan read the Wikipedia entry about Puerto Rico [1] for further details. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad 4.

Charging the iPad 4 in Puerto Rico

Can you use the iPad 4 in Puerto Rico?

You can connect the iPad 4 to a Puerto Rican power outlet.

What is the best power adapter for the iPad 4 in Puerto Rico?

When travelling with more than just your iPad 4 the best international travel adapter for Puerto Rico is a multiple USB port charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different types of power outlets that Puerto Ricans use (B and A) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable pins and can handle 100 volts - 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa simply by changing the heads. If your iPad 4 supports Fast Charge (not all USB devices will) 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 adapters having a four port adapter will allow you to power more than one device at once without needing to bring seperate travel chargers. Only packing a single lightweight USB travel charger will keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage. Because of their versatility these types of travel adapters can be used back at home not just abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, phones and e-readers without using up an additional wall outlet.

If you travel regularly we suggest searching for this type of flexible travel charger online; the travel charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for powering multiple USB devices in numerous different countries with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Puerto Rico

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPad 4, but for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which can be crucial when visiting regions with unreliable power grids. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Orico travel adapter is also aimed at travellers from the US using type B plugs. This gives almost 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 Puerto Rico. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for the iPad 4 in Puerto Rico?

How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Puerto Rican power outlet

Using a Lightning connector with a Type A USB charger to charge your iPad 4 with a Puerto Rican power outlet.

  1. In order to power your iPad 4 using the Puerto Rican power outlet you'll need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this USB cable is normally already included with the device by Apple).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type A USB power plug adapter in the wall supply. This ungrounded plug supply (sometimes called the Type A power outlet [3]) is identified by the 2 thin slots next to each other where the two plug outlet blades slide into.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is found at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the Puerto Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad 4 screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is recharging, typically taking between one-four hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Puerto Rican power outlet

Charging the iPad 4 from a Puerto Rican power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

Instructions on how to recharge the iPad 4 from a Puerto Rican power outlet with the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 3 pin Type B power adapter.

  1. If you want to power your iPad 4 from a Puerto Rican power outlet you'll need a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple usually include this USB cable with the iPad 4).
  2. Start by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and plugging it in the wall supply. You can recognise this plug supply by the two slots next to each other for live and neutral blades with a single hole below for the slightly long grounded pin.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the Puerto Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad is charging taking around 1-4 hours to recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPad 4 from a Puerto Rican power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia entry about Puerto Rico
  2. Apple - official iPad 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 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 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..