Charging the iPad 4 when visiting Colombia

Using the USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type A USB charger to charge your iPad 4 with a Colombian power outlet and powering the iPad 4 using a 3 pin Type B power adapter.

Colombian power outlet

Differing standards and plug types can often be daunting when planning to visit a new country, especially if you've never been there before. However this isn't as complex as it appears, with only a handful of different types of common standards being used in the world this article shows exactly what you'll need to pick up in advance to power your iPad 4 . These instructions have been written to stop you having to worry if you'll be able to charge the iPad 4 when you are abroad.This page has step-by-step instructions showing how to supply power to the iPad 4 when you're visiting Colombia using the types B or A 110 volt 60Hz wall outlets. Power sockets will vary depending on which area you are travelling to so please read the list of World power supplies for a full list of regions and countries. If the iPad 4 charges slowly or does not power up when you are visiting Colombia from another country check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically electrical devices which originate from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 240 volts sometimes take longer to charge or won't power up, check that your iPad 4 is dual-voltage (usually marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional voltage converter to ensure proper use. If you're planning on taking a trip to a Colombian place such as Bogotá read the Wikipedia entry about Colombia [1] for further information. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad 4.

Charging the iPad 4 in Colombia

Can you use the iPad 4 in Colombia?

Yes, you can connect the iPad 4 to a Colombian power outlet.

What is the best power adapter for the iPad 4 in Colombia?

When you are travelling to more than one country then the best travel charger for Colombia to buy is a multiple USB adapter which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two types of power outlets that Colombians use (B and A) and bringing 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 that you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by switching the supplied plugs over. If your iPad 4 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 like tablets. Having a four port adapter means you can recharge multiple devices at the same time without needing to pack multiple power adapters. By only packing a single lightweight USB travel charger will help keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage whilst travelling as well as being suitable for charging your iPad 4 at the airport or on your flight. Due to their versatility these types of chargers can be used when back at home so when you’re not travelling they can sit overnight charging multiple tablets, phones and e-readers using just a single power outlet.

For those travelling to Colombia we suggest searching for an adaptable travel charger of this nature at your preferred electronics retailer. The travel charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for powering multiple USB devices in numerous countries around the world with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Colombia

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPad 4, but for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power adapters offer surge protection which is necessary for travellers to counties with unstable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These travel adapters 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 travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact option for travellers originating from America going to Colombia.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico is also aimed at travellers from the US using type B plugs. This is a cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with just one less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers a 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 Colombia. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for the iPad 4 in Colombia?

How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPad 4 from a Colombian power outlet

Using the USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type A USB charger to charge your iPad 4 with a Colombian power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPad 4 using the Colombian power outlet you will need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple usually include this cable with the iPad 4).
  2. Insert the Type A USB power plug adapter into the Colombian power outlet. The power supply, technically called the Type A power outlet [3], can be recognised by 2 thin adjacent slots where the plug outlet blades slide into.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the Colombian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad is powering up and takes around 1-4 hours to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPad 4 from a Colombian power outlet

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Colombian power outlet

A guide showing you how to power the iPad 4 from a Colombian power outlet with a Lightning connector with a Type B power adapter.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPad 4 using the Colombian power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will typically supply the cable with the iPad 4).
  2. Start the process by plugging the Type B USB power plug adapter into the Colombian 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.
  3. Connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad 4.
  4. Switch on the Colombian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right corner of the tablet will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad is charging which takes between 60 to 240 minutes to fully recharge to full capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Colombian power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia entry about Colombia
  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..