How to charge your iPhone 5S from a power outlet in Costa Rica

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector and a double pinned Type A USB adapter to recharge your iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet and recharging the iPhone 5S using a 3 pinned Type B USB plug.

Costa Rican power outlet

Varying complicated combinations of standards and sockets can all be daunting when planning to travel to a different country, especially if you've never been there before. The following step by step guide shows you what you'll need to charge the iPhone 5S when staying in Costa Rica by using their B or A type 120 volt 60Hz plug outlets, a majority of Costa Ricans use the Type B plug outlets. If the iPhone 5S does not power up or charges slowly when travelling to Costa Rica from another country please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Electrical devices which come from another country which use a higher voltage (for example 220 volts) may take longer to charge or won't power up, so check your device is dual voltage (usually marked with a 100-240 volt notation) otherwise you may need to use an additional voltage converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5S.

Charging the iPhone 5S in Costa Rica

Can the iPhone 5S be used in Costa Rica?

You can connect the iPhone 5S to a Costa Rican power outlet.

What is the best power charger for the iPhone 5S in Costa Rica?

When you are travelling to more than one country and bringing along more than just your iPhone 5S the best travel adapter for Costa Rica to buy is a multiple USB port adapter which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Costa Ricans use two different standards of wall outlets (B and A) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers are supplied with interchangeable plugs and can handle from 100 volts - 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by changing the plugs. If your model of iPhone 5S can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster recharging times by using one of these power adapters, along with additional support for certain power demanding devices.

Unlike other travel adapters having a 4 port charger means you can power multiple devices simultaneously without needing to bring multiple travel chargers for your Costa Rican trip. Because you are only needing a single international USB travel charger will keep the weight down, making it perfect to fold up in hand luggage. Due to their versatility these types of power chargers can be used back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple smartphones and tablets with only a single wall outlet.

We suggest buying a versatile travel charger similar to this online, the power charger illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for recharging 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 any country wanting to recharge devices via USB, but for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is crucial for visitors of counties with unreliable or unstable power supplies. These travel adapters come supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both Costa Rica 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 portable power converter for travellers originating from America going to Costa Rica.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Also having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from North America using type B plugs and gives the same functionality as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet for almost half 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 ideal for most travellers from around the world visiting Costa Rica. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for the iPhone 5S in Costa Rica?

How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector and a double pinned Type A USB adapter to recharge your iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. To power the iPhone 5S from the Costa Rican power outlet you will need a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (the USB cable is usually already supplied with your device).
  2. First you'll need to plug in the Type A USB power plug adapter into the wall outlet. You can identify the plug outlet by 2 adjacent slots.
  3. Connect one end of the Apple Lightning charging cord into the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Turn on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the iPhone 5S will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is powering up which should take between 1-4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet

Using an Apple Lightning cable with a Type B USB adapter to charge the iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. To supply power to your iPhone 5S from the Costa Rican power outlet you'll need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], Apple will normally include the cable with your iPhone 5S.
  2. Start the process by plugging the Type B USB power plug adapter in the wall outlet. This plug outlet, technically called a Type B power outlet [6], is recognised by 2 slots parallel to each other where the twin plug outlet blades go with a hole below for the slightly longer earth pin.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. You can find the Lightning connector on your iPhone 5S situated at the bottom of the iPhone 5S.
  4. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of your cell will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone 5S is charging, typically taking around 60-240 minutes to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from a Costa Rican power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Costa Rica Wikipedia 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 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..