How to charge the iPhone 5S when staying in Kenya

A step-by-step guide showing you how to charge the iPhone 5S with a Kenyan power outlet by using a USB Lightning cable with a 3 pinned Type G USB adapter.

Kenyan power outlet

When planning a trip to Kenya it's helpful to know if you'll be able to use all your common devices that you'll be bringing with you. By not knowing which wall socket to expect you are more likely to bring the wrong power adaptor, therefore having to buy or borrow a suitable charger when you arrive. Varying different combinations of standards and plugs can all cause confusion when planning on staying in another country, especially for the first time traveller. However this isn't as complicated as it first appears, with only a handful of different types of plug sockets being used throughout the world this article tells you exactly what to purchase in advance to charge your iPhone 5S in Kenya. This page has been specifically written to help prepare people wanting to charge their iPhone 5S abroad.This page contains step-by-step instructions demonstrating exactly how to power the iPhone 5S when visiting Kenya by using a standard 240 volt 50Hz Type G Kenyan plug outlet, with the Kenyans using a 13 amp plug for power outlets. If visiting Kenya from another region make sure that your iPhone 5S can accept a 240v supply. If it was purchased from a country which uses a lower voltage such as 110v make sure that your device is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional power transformer to avoid the device from overloading whilst powering it up. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5S.

Charging the iPhone 5S in Kenya

Can the iPhone 5S be used in Kenya?

You can connect the iPhone 5S to a Kenyan power outlet by using a power convertor.

What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPhone 5S in Kenya?

When you are travelling with more than just your iPhone 5S or visiting multiple countries then the best international travel power adapter for Kenya to buy is a multiple USB port adapter which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger.

As these types of chargers come with interchangeable plugs and can handle from 100 volts to 240 volts will mean that you can travel to over 100 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by changing the included heads over. If your model of iPhone 5S supports Fast Charge (please note that not all USB devices will) then you'll benefit from much faster recharging times with one of these power chargers and support for certain power demanding devices. Having a four port charger means you can charge multiple devices simultaneously without needing to buy individual power chargers. Only packing a single lightweight travel charger will keep the size down, making it perfect to store in hand baggage. Due to their flexibility these types of adapters can be used when back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can be used overnight charging multiple tablets, phones and speakers with only a single plug socket.

We suggest buying an adaptable power charger similar to this at an electronics retailer. The power charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous countries.

Alternative travel adapter for Kenya

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to charge devices via USB, but for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power strips offer surge protection which is crucial for travellers to regions with unstable power grids. These travel converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both Kenya and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling portable power converter for travellers originating from America visiting Kenya.
  • 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 from the US using type B plugs and is a more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with one less AC outlet for 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 perfect for most travellers from around the world visiting Kenya. [6] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPhone 5S in Kenya?

How to use a Type G power charger for charging your iPhone 5S from a Kenyan power outlet

A step-by-step guide showing you how to charge the iPhone 5S with a Kenyan power outlet by using a USB Lightning cable with a 3 pinned Type G USB adapter.

  1. If you want to power your iPhone 5S using a Kenyan power outlet you will need to buy a Type G USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (typically already supplied with the iPhone 5S by Apple).
  2. Start the process by taking the Type G USB power plug adapter and plugging it into the Kenyan power outlet. The plug outlet, technically known as the Type G power outlet [3], can be recognised by the three vertical rectangular holes with plastic shutters forming a triangular pattern for live, neutral and earth pins.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the mains USB adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector is situated at bottom of the iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Turn on the Kenyan power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of your phone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is powering up, typically taking around 1 to 4 hours to fully recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type G power charger for charging your iPhone 5S from a Kenyan power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Kenya country Wikipedia page
  2. Apple - official iPhone user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type G power outlet
  4. Type G USB power plug adapter - Suitable for use in England, Ireland, and Scotland, a grounded three pin Type G adapter turns UK electrical power outlets into USB ports for reliable 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. 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..