Charging the iPad Mini when staying in Ethiopia

A guide showing how to power the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet with a USB Lightning Apple connector with a two pin Type E USB charger, powering the iPad Mini using a double pinned Europlug Type C power adapter and how to power the iPad Mini using a double pinned Type F USB adapter

Ethiopian power outlet

Different combinations of voltages and plug types can all be daunting when planning on staying in a foreign country, especially if you've never visited before. This page has been specifically written to prevent you having to worry if you'll be able to charge your iPad Mini when you are visiting Ethiopia.This step-by-step guide tells you how to charge your iPad Mini when you are in Ethiopia by using their types E, C, F or L Ethiopian 220 volt 50Hz power outlets. When travelling to Ethiopia from a different region make sure the iPad Mini can be used with a 240v supply. If the iPad Mini was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110v ensure that your device is dual voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional converter to prevent the device from over-heating when charging it. If you're planning on taking a trip to a destination like Addis Ababa or Dire Dawa please read the Ethiopian Wikipedia web page [1] for more indepth details on travelling to the location. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Mini.

Charging the iPad Mini in Ethiopia

Can you use the iPad Mini in Ethiopia?

Yes, you can connect the iPad Mini to an Ethiopian power outlet by using the correct power adaptor.

What is the best travel charger for the iPad Mini in Ethiopia?

When you are travelling with more than your iPad Mini the best travel power adapter for Ethiopia is a multiple USB adapter which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Ethiopians use four different standards of power outlets (E, C, F and L) and using a power adapter like this ensures that you are covered for type C.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable plugs and handle 100 volts to 240 volts will mean you can travel to over 100 countries around the world just by changing the plugs over. If your iPad Mini supports Fast Charge (not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from quicker recharging times with one of these USB travel chargers along with additional support for certain power hungry devices. Unlike other travel adapters this means you can recharge more than one device at once without needing to buy multiple travel chargers. By only packing a single international travel charger will help keep the overall weight and size down, making it perfect to fold up and store in hand baggage while travelling and on hand for charging your iPad Mini at the airport or on a flight. Due to their versatility these types of power adapters 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 and smartphones and using only a single power outlet.

If you travel often we suggest buying an adaptable travel adapter similar to this at your preferred electronics retailer; the multipurpose power charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for powering multiple USB devices in numerous different countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Ethiopia

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge devices using USB, however for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is necessary for visitors of regions with unreliable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power converters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering 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 portable option for travellers originating from America visiting Ethiopia.
  • 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 originating from the US using type B plugs and offers almost the same functionality as the BESTEK with 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 ideal for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting Ethiopia. [11] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPad Mini in Ethiopia?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector with a two pin Type C Europlug power charger to charge the iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge your iPad Mini using the Ethiopian power outlet you'll need to buy a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], usually already included with your iPad Mini.
  2. Firstly plug in the Type C USB power plug adapter into the power supply. You can recognise this wall outlet by the 2 circular adjacent holes next to each other where the pins go.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is found at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Turn on the Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of your iPad will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is charging and takes around 1 to 4 hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet

Powering the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

A guide showing how to power the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet with a USB Lightning Apple connector with a two pin Type E USB charger.

  1. To supply power to the iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet you'll need to use a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will usually include the cable with the iPad Mini).
  2. Begin by plugging the Type E USB power plug adapter in the Ethiopian power outlet. This circular plug supply can be recognised by the two large round holes 19mm apart from each other for live and neutral pins and a long metal earth pin protruding from the top in a triangular shape.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the Apple power cable into the bottom of the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is situated at the bottom of the iPad Mini.
  4. Switch on the Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is powering up which should take between 60-240 minutes to fully recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

Powering the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

Instructions on how to charge the iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet by using a Lightning Apple cable with a double pinned Type F power adapter.

  1. If you want to supply power to your iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet you will need to use a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (usually included with the iPad Mini).
  2. Start by plugging the Type F USB power plug adapter in the Ethiopian power outlet. You can recognise this power outlet by two large circular adjacent holes next to each other, plus thin metal grounding clips on the top and bottom.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB Lightning power cord into the mains USB charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector can be found at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Turn on the Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of your iPad Mini will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad is recharging which typically takes around 1 - 4 hours to recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type F Schuko USB adapter

How to use a Type L power charger for charging your iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet

A guide showing how to power the iPad Mini with an Ethiopian power outlet with a USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type L USB charger.

  1. To power the iPad Mini using an Ethiopian power outlet you'll need to buy a Type L USB power plug adapter [10] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple should typically include this cable when you buy the iPad Mini).
  2. Firstly plug the Type L USB power plug adapter into the Ethiopian power outlet. You can identify the flattened hexagon shaped power outlet by three large holes forming a line. Note that there are two variations of Type L power outlet rated at 10 and 16 amps. The 10 amp plug supply has 4mm thick round pins spaced 5.5mm apart, whilst a 16 amp version has slightly larger 5mm pins that are spaced 8mm apart.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the Apple USB power cable into the bottom of the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is situated at the bottom of the iPad Mini.
  4. Switch on the Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of the tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Mini is powering up which should take between 60-240 minutes to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type L power charger for charging your iPad Mini from an Ethiopian power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Ethiopian Wikipedia web page
  2. Apple - official iPad user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type C power outlet
  4. Type C USB power plug adapter - Conforming to Europlug specifications, the Type C USB power plug adapter incorporates two 4 mm rounded pins spaced 19 mm apart. It is engineered to adapt electrical outlets commonly found in Europe, converting them to USB-compatible charging ports..
  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 E power outlet
  7. Type E USB power plug adapter - Meeting CEE 7/5 and CEE 7/6 standards, the Type E USB power plug adapter uses the Schuko standard with two round pins and an earthing hole. It adapts European outlets such as Germany to USB-standard ports for USB device charging..
  8. iec.ch - Type F power outlet
  9. iec.ch - Type L power outlet
  10. Type L USB power plug adapter - Earthed Type L USB chargers comprise of three 4mm pins placed in parallel 5.5mm apart used in Italy.
  11. 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..