Charging the iPhone 4 when staying in Costa Rica

Using the USB 30-pin Apple connector with a 2 pin Type A USB charger to recharge the iPhone 4 from a Costa Rican power outlet and powering the iPhone 4 using a Type B USB charger.

Costa Rican power outlet

Various combinations of standards and plug types can all be daunting when planning on staying in a different country, especially to the first time traveller. These instructions have been written to stop people having to worry if they'll be able to charge their iPhone 4 when they are visiting Costa Rica.When you're planning a vacation to Costa Rica these useful instructions show how to power your iPhone 4 by using the Type B or A Costa Rican 120 volt 60Hz power outlets, please be aware that Type B power outlets will be typically used by most Costa Ricans. If the iPhone 4 charges slowly or does not power up when you are travelling to Costa Rica from a different country then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically electrical devices which come from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts sometimes take longer to charge or won't turn on, so check that your iPhone 4 is a dual voltage device (marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 4.

Charging the iPhone 4 in Costa Rica

Can the iPhone 4 be used in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can use the iPhone 4 in Costa Rica.

What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 4 in Costa Rica?

If travelling to multiple countries then the best travel adapter for Costa Rica to buy is a multiple USB charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Costa Ricans use two different standards of power outlets (B and A) and using a power adapter like this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle from 100 volts - 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa just by switching the included heads. If your type of iPhone 4 supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker charging times by using one of these types of travel adapters plus additional compatibility with certain power hungry devices like tablets. Unlike other adapters this means you can recharge more than one device at once without needing to buy multiple power chargers on your Costa Rican trip or occupying additional wall sockets. Only packing a single USB travel charger will also keep the size down, making it ideal to store in hand luggage as well as being suitable for charging your iPhone 4 at an airport or on the flight. Because of their flexibility these types of power chargers 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, smartphones and e-readers without needing an additional power outlet.

We suggest searching for this type of versatile power charger online. The travel charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully with multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for Costa Rica

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country wanting to recharge devices using USB, but for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs these power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is necessary for visitors of regions with unreliable or unstable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These travel converters come supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Costa Rica 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 best selling compact power adapter for travellers originating from America going to Costa Rica using type B US plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico travel adapter is also aimed at travellers from America using type B plugs. This gives practically the same set of features as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet at 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 perfect for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting Costa Rica. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for recharging the iPhone 4 in Costa Rica?

Powering the iPhone 4 with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using the Apple 30-pin connector with a Type A USB adapter to power the iPhone 4 with a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPhone 4 from a Costa Rican power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5], Apple will usually include the cable when you buy the iPhone 4.
  2. Insert the Type A USB power plug adapter into the Costa Rican power outlet. The plug supply (known as the Type A power outlet [3]) can be recognised by 2 slots adjacent to each other where the two plug outlet pins sit.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the mains USB charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 dock connector is found at bottom of the iPhone 4.
  4. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the phone will display a charging icon to indicate that the phone is charging and takes roughly 1 to 4 hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 4 with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Powering the iPhone 4 with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

A guide on how to charge the iPhone 4 from a Costa Rican power outlet by using the USB 30-pin Apple connector with a three pin Type B USB charger.

  1. In order to supply power to your iPhone 4 from a Costa Rican power outlet you will need to use a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5], Apple will usually include the cable with the iPhone 4.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the Costa Rican power outlet. You can recognise this power outlet by two thin slots parallel to each other for live and neutral blades with a semicircular shaped hole below for the longer ground pin.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the bottom of the power adapter and the other end into the dock connector on the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 dock connector is found at bottom of the iPhone 4.
  4. Turn on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPhone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 4 is charging, typically taking between 60-240 minutes to fully recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 4 with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Costa Rican Wikipedia web 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 30 pin cable - This connects compatible iPhones, iPods and iPads to a USB port for charging, syncing and playing music.
  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..