Charging the iPhone 3G when planning a trip to Poland

Using the Apple USB 30 pin connector with a Type C USB charger to charge your iPhone 3G with a Polish power outlet and charging the iPhone 3G using a two pinned Type E power adapter.

Polish power outlet

If you are packing for a trip to Poland it can be helpful to know in advance if you'll be able to charge your indispensable electrical devices when you're there. Without knowing which power socket to expect you could pack the wrong power adaptor, therefore leaving you needing to buy or borrow a suitable power adaptor on arrival that could be incompatible and cause damage to the iPhone 3G. Various combinations of frequencies and standards can all be daunting when planning on visiting another country for the first time traveller. This isn't as complicated as it appears, with only a handful of different types of standards being used throughout the world this guide tells you exactly what to pick up in advance to power your iPhone 3G . The following useful guide will show exactly what you'll need to power your iPhone 3G when staying in Poland using the Type E or C 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, a majority of Poles will use the Type E power outlets. You'll discover that 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. When travelling to Poland from a different country please check that the iPhone 3G can accept a 240v supply. If it originated in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) ensure that your iPhone 3G is dual-voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional voltage converter to avoid the device from over-heating whilst powering it up. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 4 or greater on the iPhone 3G.

Charging the iPhone 3G in Poland

Can you use the iPhone 3G in Poland?

You can use the iPhone 3G in Poland by using a power adaptor.

What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPhone 3G in Poland?

If travelling to multiple countries and bringing along more than your iPhone 3G then the best travel charger for Poland 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 Poles use (E and C) and using a power adapter like this will ensure that you are covered for type C. As these 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 chargers, plus additional support for more power demanding devices.

This means you can charge more than one device simultaneously without needing to buy seperate travel chargers. Only needing a single USB travel charger will help keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage as well as being convenient for charging your iPhone 3G 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 and tablets without needing an additional plug socket.

We recommend buying this type of versatile power adapter online; the travel charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous different countries.

Alternative travel adapter for Poland

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 3G, but for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power converters offer surge protection which is necessary for travellers to counties with unstable power supplies. These power converters come 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 power adapter for travellers originating from North America visiting Poland using 3 pinned 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 the same set of features as the BESTEK with only 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 Poland. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for recharging the iPhone 3G in Poland?

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

Using a 30-pin Apple cable and a Type C USB charger to charge your iPhone 3G with a Polish power outlet.

  1. To charge the iPhone 3G from a Polish power outlet you'll need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (Apple should normally supply the cable with the iPhone 3G).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. You can recognise this plug supply by the two adjacent holes for live and neutral pins.
  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 Polish 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 mobile is charging which typically takes roughly 1 - 4 hours to recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 3G with a Polish power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

How to use a Type E power charger for recharging your iPhone 3G from a Polish power outlet

Instructions showing you how to power the iPhone 3G from a Polish power outlet by using a 30-pin connector with a Type E power adapter.

  1. If you want to power your iPhone 3G from a Polish power outlet you'll need a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (Apple will typically supply the cable with the iPhone 3G).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type E USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. You can recognise this plug supply by the two large adjacent holes for live and neutral pins and a single metal earth pin protruding the top to form a triangle pattern.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the mains 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. Switch on the Polish power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the phone will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 3G is powering up taking roughly 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type E power charger for recharging your iPhone 3G from a Polish power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia entry about Poland
  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. 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..