How to charge the iPhone 5 when staying in Colombia

A guide showing you how to charge the iPhone 5 with a Colombian power outlet with the Lightning Apple connector and a two pinned Type A USB adapter and recharging the iPhone 5 using a Type B power plug.

Colombian power outlet

Various voltages and sockets can all be daunting when planning to stay in a foreign country if you've never visited before. When going to Colombia these useful instructions show how to supply power to your iPhone 5 using their B or A type 110 volt 60Hz plug outlets. If the iPhone 5 slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when you are visiting Colombia from a different country check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Devices which come from a different country which use a higher voltage (for example 220 volts) either take longer to charge or won't power up, so check that the iPhone 5 is a dual voltage device (usually marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5.

Charging the iPhone 5 in Colombia

Can the iPhone 5 be used in Colombia?

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

What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPhone 5 in Colombia?

When you are travelling with more than your iPhone 5 then the best international travel power adapter for Colombia to buy is a multiple USB port adapter which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Colombians use two different types of plug sockets (B and A) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

As these types of chargers come with interchangeable plugs and can handle 100 - 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries around the world simply by changing the included heads over. If your model of iPhone 5 can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from quicker charging times with one of these travel adapters, along with additional compatibility with more power hungry devices like tablets.

Having a four port charger will also allow you to recharge more than one device at the same time without needing to bring multiple travel adapters. Only needing to pack a single international USB travel charger will also keep the overall size and weight down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage as well as being on hand for charging your iPhone 5 at an airport or on a plane. Because of their space saving versatility these types of power chargers can be used back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can be used overnight charging multiple phones and tablets without using up an additional wall outlet.

We suggest buying this type of flexible power charger online - the power charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous different countries around the world on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Colombia

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 visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power strips offer surge protection which is crucial for visitors of counties with unreliable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected appliances from voltage spikes. These power adapters come supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Colombia 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 option for travellers originating from North America going to Colombia using 3 pinned type B US plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Likewise 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 gives the same functionality as the BESTEK with just 1 less AC outlet at almost half the 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 perfect for most travellers from around the world visiting Colombia. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPhone 5 in Colombia?

How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Colombian power outlet

Using a USB Lightning cable with a Type A power charger to power your iPhone 5 from a Colombian power outlet.

  1. To supply power to the iPhone 5 using a Colombian power outlet you'll need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this cable is usually already supplied with the device).
  2. Start the process by plugging the Type A USB power plug adapter in the Colombian power outlet. You can recognise the plug outlet by the 2 slots next to each other where the two blades slide into.
  3. Connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5 found at the bottom of your iPhone 5.
  4. Switch on the Colombian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of your phone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is powering up which takes roughly 60-240 minutes to recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Colombian power outlet

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Colombian power outlet

Instructions showing how to charge the iPhone 5 with a Colombian power outlet by using the Lightning Apple connector and a three pinned Type B USB adapter.

  1. To supply power to the iPhone 5 using a Colombian power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this cable is usually already supplied with the iPhone 5 by Apple).
  2. Start the process by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and plugging it into the Colombian power outlet. The power supply (called a Type B power outlet [6]) can be recognised by the two thin slots next to each other with a single semicircle shaped hole below for the ground pin.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of 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 Colombian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of your phone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone is charging and takes between 60-240 minutes to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPhone 5 from a Colombian power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Colombian Wikipedia page
  2. Apple - official iPhone 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..