How to charge the iPhone 5 when planning a trip to Barbados

A guide showing how to power the iPhone 5 with a Barbadian power outlet with a USB Lightning cable and a double pin Type A USB charger and charging the iPhone 5 using a Type B USB adapter.

Barbadian power outlet

Complicated combinations of standards and voltages can often cause confusion when planning to visit another country, especially if you've never visited before. These guidelines were specifically written to help assist travellers wanting to power the iPhone 5 when they're going to Barbados.When visiting Barbados these instructions show how to power the iPhone 5 using the standard Type B or A 115 volt 50Hz plug outlets, a majority of Barbadians will normally use Type B plug outlets. If your iPhone 5 does not power up or charges slowly when you are visiting Barbados from a different country then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Typically devices which originate from another country which use a higher voltage such as 240 volts may take longer to charge or won't power up, check the iPhone 5 is dual-voltage (marked with 100-240 volts) otherwise you may need to use an additional power transformer to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5.

Charging the iPhone 5 in Barbados

Can the iPhone 5 be used in Barbados?

Yes, you can use the iPhone 5 in Barbados by using the correct power convertor.

What is the best power charger for recharging the iPhone 5 in Barbados?

When travelling to more than one country then the best international travel charger for Barbados to buy is a multiple USB port adapter which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. Barbadians use two different standards of plug sockets (types B and A) and using a power charger like this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

Because these chargers are supplied with interchangeable plugs and can handle 100 to 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa just by switching the heads over. If your iPhone 5 supports Fast Charge (not all USB devices can) then you'll benefit from much quicker charging times by using one of these types of USB power chargers, along with support for more power hungry devices like tablets. This will allow you to recharge multiple devices at once without needing to buy multiple travel chargers. Because you are only needing to bring a single travel charger will keep the overall size down, making it perfect to fold up and store in hand luggage. Due to their space saving versatility these types of travel adapters can be used back at home as well as abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, smartphones and speakers without using up an additional power outlet.

If you travel to different continents we recommend buying this type of flexible travel adapter at an electronics retailer - the power charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for powering multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries with perfect reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Barbados

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country who only have USB devices such as the iPhone 5, however for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is necessary when visiting regions with unstable power supplies. These travel adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Continental Europe, North 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 most popular portable option for travellers originating from North America going to Barbados 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 is also aimed at travellers originating from the US using type B plugs and offers almost the same functionality as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet for almost half the 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 suitable for most travellers from around the world visiting Barbados. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging the iPhone 5 in Barbados?

Powering the iPhone 5 with a Barbadian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using a Lightning cable and a double pinned Type A power charger to recharge the iPhone 5 with a Barbadian power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPhone 5 from the Barbadian power outlet you will need a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], Apple will normally include this cable when you buy the iPhone 5.
  2. Begin the process by inserting the Type A USB power plug adapter into the power supply. The plug supply, sometimes known as the Type A power outlet [3], is identified by two adjacent slots next to each other.
  3. Then connect one end of the Lightning power cord into the bottom of the mains power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 Lightning connector can be found at bottom of your iPhone 5 under the home button.
  4. Switch on the Barbadian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of the iPhone screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 5 is recharging which should take around 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5 with a Barbadian power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Powering the iPhone 5 with a Barbadian power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

Using the Apple Lightning connector and a Type B power charger to charge the iPhone 5 from a Barbadian power outlet.

  1. In order to power the iPhone 5 from the Barbadian power outlet you'll need a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], typically already included with your device by Apple.
  2. Plug in the Type B USB power plug adapter in the power supply. You can identify this plug outlet by two thin slots next to each other with a single semicircular hole below for the grounded pin.
  3. Connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. You can find the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5 situated at the bottom of your iPhone 5.
  4. Turn on the Barbadian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the phone screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPhone 5 is charging, typically taking roughly 1-4 hours to recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5 with a Barbadian power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia.org entry about Barbados
  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..