How to charge the Kindle Fire when staying in Costa Rica

Using USB type B cable with a 3 pinned Type A USB adapter to charge a Kindle Fire with a Costa Rican power outlet and charging a Kindle Fire using a 3 pinned Type B USB charger.

Costa Rican power outlet

If you are planning a holiday to Costa Rica it's helpful to know if you'll be able to power your essential electrical devices like mobiles or laptop computers when you get there. Without knowing which wall socket to expect you could end up either bringing too many spare adaptors or bring the wrong charger, leaving you needing to purchase a potentially overpriced power adaptor when you're there. Varying different combinations of region codes and plugs can often be confusing when planning to travel to a different country to the first time traveller. These instructions were written to assist visitors wanting to charge their Kindle Fire when they are travelling abroad.The following simple guide will show you what you'll need to supply power to your Kindle Fire when you're travelling to Costa Rica by using the standard Type B or A 120 volt 60Hz plug outlets, a majority of Costa Ricans use Type B sockets in their plug outlets. If your Kindle Fire charges slowly or does not power up when travelling to Costa Rica from another country then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically devices which originated from a country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts either take longer to charge or won't power up, check your device is dual-voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional transformer to ensure proper use.

The following page shows how to connect the Costa Rican power outlet to your Fire. These instructions assume that you are using the most recent version of Fire OS for the Kindle Fire, however if not please visit Amazon for the most recent Kindle Fire firmware update which ensures you have the most up-to-date features for your Kindle Fire. Go to the manufacturers website at Amazon for the Kindle Fire device support [2] for more information.

Charging a Kindle Fire in Costa Rica

Can the Kindle Fire be used in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can use a Kindle Fire in Costa Rica.

What is the best travel adapter for recharging a Kindle Fire in Costa Rica?

When you are travelling to multiple countries the best travel charger for Costa Rica is a multiple USB charger which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two types of wall outlets in Costa Rica (types B and A) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

As these types of chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle 100 - 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries around the world simply by switching the included heads over. If your model of Kindle Fire can support Fast Charge (please note that not all USB devices do) then you'll benefit from much faster recharging times with one of these power chargers plus support for certain power demanding devices. Unlike other travel adapters this will also allow you to charge more than one device simultaneously without needing to buy seperate power chargers. Only needing to pack a single international USB travel charger will also keep the overall size and weight down, making it ideal to fold up in hand luggage. Due to their flexibility these types of travel chargers can be used back at home as well as abroad so when you’re not travelling they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple smartphones, tablets and e-readers with only a single plug socket.

We suggest searching for this type of versatile travel adapter online - the power charger illustrated is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous countries with perfect reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Costa Rica

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 Kindle Fire, however for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power adapters offer surge protection which can be useful for visitors of regions with unreliable power grids. These travel converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular compact option for travellers originating from North America going to Costa Rica.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Likewise 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 gives the same functionality as the BESTEK with only 1 less AC outlet at almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers a more generous 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 suitable for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting Costa Rica. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for recharging a Kindle Fire in Costa Rica?

Powering a Kindle Fire with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using USB Micro Type B connector with a Type A power charger to power your Kindle Fire from a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. In order to charge the Kindle Fire from the Costa Rican power outlet you'll need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [5].
  2. Begin by inserting the Type A USB power plug adapter in the Costa Rican power outlet. The power supply (called a Type A power outlet [3]) can be identified by two thin adjacent slots.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable into the bottom of the USB power charger and the other end into the USB charging port on a Kindle Fire.
  4. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery symbol which appears at the top corner of the tablet display will display a charging icon which indicates that the device is charging.
  6. It will take between approximately 4 hours to 12 hours to fully recharge to 100% capacity, but this is likely to be longer depending on the type of Fire you have, the charger strength and if you are using the Kindle during the charging cycle. For further information on charging the Kindle tablet please read the Kindle Fire device support [2] for more details on battery times and the recharging process. [AD]
Powering a Kindle Fire with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your Kindle Fire from a Costa Rican power outlet

A page on how to power your Kindle Fire from a Costa Rican power outlet with Micro USB Type B cable with a Type B power charger.

  1. To supply power to a Kindle Fire using a Costa Rican power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable [5].
  2. Start the process by inserting the Type B USB power plug adapter in the wall outlet. You can recognise the plug outlet by the 2 slots parallel to each other with a single semicircle shaped hole below for the slightly longer earthed pin.
  3. Connect the USB end of the type B USB connector into the bottom of the mains USB adapter and the other end into the USB charging port on a Kindle Fire.
  4. Turn on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which is found in the top corner of the Kindle tablet screen will display a lightning icon which indicates that your tablet is charging.
  6. It takes between 4 hours to 12 hours to completely charge to full capacity, but this is likely to take longer depending on the model of Kindle Fire you are using, the strength of the power source and if you are using the device during the charging cycle. Please read the Kindle Fire device support [2] for more details on the charging procedure. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your Kindle Fire from a Costa Rican power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - wikipedia.org page about Costa Rica
  2. Amazon - Kindle Fire device support
  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 2.0 A Male to Micro B cable - Used to connect USB devices which have a USB Mini-B port to computers, power supplies and other devices.
  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..