Charging the iPad Air when visiting Mexico

A guide showing how to power the iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet with the Apple USB Lightning connector with a Type A USB charger and how to power the iPad Air using a 3 pin Type B power adapter.

Mexican power outlet

If planning a vacation it's useful to know if you'll be able to power all your devices like cell phones or tablets when you're there. But by not knowing which power supply is being used you could pack the wrong power adaptor, therefore leaving you needing to buy or borrow a suitable power adaptor when you're there that might be incompatible and cause damage to your iPad Air. Various combinations of voltages and sockets can often be confusing when planning on staying in another country especially if you've never been there before. When you're visiting Mexico these instructions show how to supply power to the iPad Air by using their standard B or A type Mexican 127 volt 60Hz power outlets, Type B plug outlets will be used by a majority of Mexicans. Type A electrical sockets aren't as commonplace but still used by some hotels in Mexico. You will discover power supplies differ depending on which country you are in therefore we recommend reading the World power supplies page for a complete list of regions and countries. If the iPad Air charges slowly or does not power up when you are travelling to Mexico from another region please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Electrical devices which originated from another country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts sometimes take longer to charge or won't power up, check that your iPad Air is dual voltage (you'll find these are usually marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional power converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Air.

Charging the iPad Air in Mexico

Can you use the iPad Air in Mexico?

Yes, you can connect the iPad Air to a Mexican power outlet.

What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad Air in Mexico?

If you are travelling to more than one country or bringing more than your iPad Air then the best travel charger for Mexico to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different types of power outlets that Mexicans use (B and A) and using a power charger like this will ensure that you are covered for type A. As these chargers come with interchangeable pins and can handle 100 volts - 240 volts will mean you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by switching the supplied plugs over. If your iPad Air supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times with one of these USB power adapters along with compatibility with certain power hungry devices. Unlike other travel chargers this means you can charge multiple devices at the same time without needing to pack multiple power adapters for your Mexican trip. By only bringing a single international travel charger will keep the overall size down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage and convenient for recharging your iPad Air at the airport or on your flight. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of power adapters can be used back at home so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple smartphones, tablets and speakers without using up an additional plug socket.

If you travel regularly we suggest searching for this type of flexible travel charger at your preferred electronics retailer. The multipurpose power adapter illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for charging multiple USB devices in numerous different countries around the world on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Mexico

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to charge devices using USB, however 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 supplies. These power converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both Mexico 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 most popular portable power adapter for travellers originating from North America visiting Mexico using type B American plug sockets.
  • 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 originating from America using type B plugs and offers practically 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 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 ideal for a majority of travellers from around the world visiting Mexico. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad Air in Mexico?

How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet

A guide showing how to power the iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet with the Apple USB Lightning connector with a Type A USB charger.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPad Air using the Mexican power outlet you'll need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will typically supply the cable with the iPad Air).
  2. Start the process by plugging the Type A USB power plug adapter into the Mexican power outlet. The power supply, technically called the Type A power outlet [3], can be recognised by the 2 thin adjacent slots where the plug outlet blades slide into. Be aware that Type A electrical outlets might not be as commonplace but still used in some hotels in Mexico.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the mains power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector can be found at the bottom of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Mexican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the iPad will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is recharging, typically taking between 60 to 240 minutes to completely recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 3 pin Type B power adapter to recharge your iPad Air with a Mexican power outlet.

  1. If you want to power your iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet you'll need a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this USB cable is normally already included with your iPad Air).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type B USB power plug adapter into the Mexican power outlet. You can recognise this plug supply by the two slots next to each other for live and neutral blades with a semicircle hole below for the earth pin. The most frequently used outlets in Mexico are Type B plug outlets.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the Apple Lightning power cable into the bottom of the USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is found at the base of the iPad Air.
  4. Turn on the Mexican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad Air screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is charging which typically takes around 1-4 hours to recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a Mexican power outlet

See also

  1. Visitmexico - Visit Mexico Web Site
  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..