Charging the iPhone 3G when visiting Ethiopia

Instructions on how to power the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet with the Apple USB 30 pin connector with a Type F USB adapter, how to charge the iPhone 3G using a 2 pin Type C power adapter and how to power the iPhone 3G using a 2 pin Type E power adapter

Ethiopian power outlet

Different combinations of region codes and voltages can all be daunting when planning on travelling to another country for the first time traveller. This guide has been written to prevent you worrying if you'll be able to charge your iPhone 3G when staying abroad.When you're visiting Ethiopia the following useful instructions show how to charge the iPhone 3G by using their standard E, C, F or L type Ethiopian 220 volt 50Hz power outlets. If you are visiting Ethiopia from another country ensure that your iPhone 3G can accept a 240v supply. If your iPhone 3G was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110 volts check the device is dual voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional power transformer to avoid the device from being damaged when charging it. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 4 or greater on the iPhone 3G.

Charging the iPhone 3G in Ethiopia

Can you use the iPhone 3G in Ethiopia?

Yes, you can connect the iPhone 3G to an Ethiopian power outlet.

What is the best power adapter for the iPhone 3G in Ethiopia?

When travelling with more than just your iPhone 3G and visiting multiple countries the best international travel charger for Ethiopia to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are four standards of plug sockets in Ethiopia (E, C, F and L) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type C.

Because these types of chargers come with interchangeable pins and can handle 100 volts - 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries around the world just by switching the supplied plugs over. If your type of iPhone 3G is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times with one of these types of travel adapters along with compatibility with certain power hungry devices.

Unlike other adapters this will allow you to charge multiple devices simultaneously without needing to pack multiple power adapters for your Ethiopian 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 iPhone 3G at the airport or on your flight. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of travel adapters can be used when you return home so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple tablets, phones and e-readers without using up an additional wall outlet.

If you travel to different places we suggest searching for a versatile power charger like this at your preferred electronics retailer. The multipurpose power adapter illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for powering multiple USB devices in numerous countries around the world 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 who only have USB devices such as the iPhone 3G, but for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which can be useful for travellers to counties with unstable power supplies. These power converters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Continental Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China 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 option for travellers originating from America going to Ethiopia using 3 pin type B 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 is a much more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet at almost half 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 ideal for most travellers from around the world visiting Ethiopia. [11] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for the iPhone 3G in Ethiopia?

Powering the iPhone 3G with an Ethiopian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

A page showing how to charge your iPhone 3G with an Ethiopian power outlet using a 30-pin Apple cable and a Type C USB charger.

  1. To charge the iPhone 3G from the Ethiopian power outlet you will need to use a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (Apple usually include this USB cable when you buy your iPhone 3G).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter into the Ethiopian power outlet. The wall outlet, also known as a Type C power outlet [3], can be recognised by 2 circular holes next to each other where the two plug outlet pins slide into.
  3. Plug in one end of the 30 pin cord into the bottom of 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 Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPhone 3G screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the phone is recharging which takes roughly 1 - 4 hours to recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 3G with an Ethiopian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

Charging the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet by using a two pinned Type E USB adapter

A page showing how to charge your iPhone 3G with an Ethiopian power outlet with a 30-pin Apple cable with a Type E USB charger.

  1. If you want to power the iPhone 3G using the Ethiopian power outlet you will need to use a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (Apple usually include this USB cable with the iPhone 3G).
  2. Insert the Type E USB power plug adapter into the Ethiopian power outlet. You can identify the power supply by the two large adjacent holes for live and neutral pins and a long metal grounding pin protruding the top to form a triangle pattern.
  3. Connect one end of the Apple 30 pin cable into the bottom of 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 Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPhone 3G screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the phone is recharging which takes roughly 1 - 4 hours to recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet by using a two pinned Type E USB adapter

Charging the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet by using a two pinned Schuko Type F USB adapter

A page showing how to charge your iPhone 3G with an Ethiopian power outlet using a 30-pin Apple cable and a Type F USB charger.

  1. To charge the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet you'll need a Type F USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] - this USB cable is typically supplied with your iPhone 3G.
  2. Start by inserting the Type F USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. The sunken circular power supply can be recognised by two circular holes 19 mm apart from each other where the twin plug outlet pins slide into along with two metal grounding clips above and below.
  3. Plug in 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 Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of your iPhone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the phone is recharging, typically taking between one-four hours to completely recharge. [AD]
Charging the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet by using a two pinned Schuko Type F USB adapter

How to use a Type L power charger for charging your iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet

Instructions on how to recharge the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet with the Apple USB 30 pin connector with a Type L USB charger.

  1. If you want to charge the iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet you'll need a Type L USB power plug adapter [10] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] - this USB cable is typically supplied with your iPhone 3G.
  2. Start by taking the Type L USB power plug adapter and plugging it into the wall supply. The hexagon shaped power supply, technically called the Type L power outlet [9], can be identified by the 3 large circular holes forming a line. Note that there are two types of Type L power supply, one rated at 10 amps and one for 16 amps. A 10 amp version has 4mm thick pins spaced 5.5mm apart, and the 16 amp version has larger 5mm round pins spaced 8mm apart.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB cable into the bottom of the USB 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 Ethiopian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPhone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone is charging and takes around 1-4 hours to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type L power charger for charging your iPhone 3G from an Ethiopian power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia.org web page about Ethiopia
  2. Apple - official iPhone 3G 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 30 pin cable - This connects compatible iPhones, iPods and iPads to a USB port for charging, syncing and playing music.
  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..