How to charge an iPad Air 2 in Costa Rica

Instructions showing you how to power your iPad Air 2 with a Costa Rican power outlet with a Lightning connector with a Type A USB adapter and charging an iPad Air 2 using a three pin Type B power plug.

Costa Rican power outlet

Varying different combinations of region codes and sockets can often lead to confusion when planning to stay in another country, especially to the first time traveller. These step by step instructions will show what you'll need to power your iPad Air 2 when you're visiting Costa Rica by using their types B or A Costa Rican 120 volt 60Hz power outlets, please be aware that Type B power outlets are typically used by most Costa Ricans. Power sockets differ depending on which region you are in therefore we suggest reading the power supplies list for a full list of countries. If your iPad Air 2 slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when you are travelling to Costa Rica from another country please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Devices which originated from a country which use a higher voltage (for example 240 volts) can take longer to charge or won't power up, check the iPad Air 2 is dual-voltage (you'll find these are usually marked with a 100-240 volt notation) otherwise you may need to use an additional transformer to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you've have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on an iPad Air 2.

Charging an iPad Air 2 in Costa Rica

Can the iPad Air 2 be used in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can use an iPad Air 2 in Costa Rica.

What is the best power adapter for recharging an iPad Air 2 in Costa Rica?

If travelling to multiple countries and bringing more than just your iPad Air 2 then the best international travel charger for Costa Rica to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two types of power outlets in Costa Rica (B and A) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type A. As these chargers are supplied with interchangeable plugs and can handle 100 to 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries around the world simply by changing the included plugs over. If your iPad Air 2 is compatible with Fast Charge (not all USB devices will) then you'll benefit from quicker recharging times by using one of these USB travel chargers along with additional support for certain power hungry devices. Unlike other travel adapters this means you can recharge multiple devices at once without needing to buy multiple power chargers on your Costa Rican trip or occupying additional wall sockets. Only needing to bring a single travel charger will also keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to store in hand baggage whilst travelling. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of chargers can be used at home so when you’re not travelling they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets and phones without using up an additional plug socket.

We recommend searching for a multipurpose power adapter of this nature online. The multipurpose travel charger illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for powering multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries on a daily basis.

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 using USB, but for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs these power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is necessary for visitors of regions with unreliable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power converters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering 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 best selling portable option for travellers originating from America visiting Costa Rica using type B plug sockets.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers originating from the US using type B plugs. This is a much cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with only 1 less AC outlet for almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 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 suitable for most travellers from around the world visiting Costa Rica. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for recharging an iPad Air 2 in Costa Rica?

Charging an iPad Air 2 from a Costa Rican power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

Instructions showing you how to power your iPad Air 2 with a Costa Rican power outlet with a Lightning connector with a Type A USB adapter.

  1. To power the iPad Air 2 using a Costa Rican power outlet you'll need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], usually included with the iPad Air 2.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and inserting it into the power outlet. You can recognise the wall outlet by the 2 thin slots adjacent to each other for live and neutral.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on an iPad Air 2. The iPad Air 2 lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Air 2.
  4. Switch on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of your tablet will display a charging icon to indicate that the tablet is charging and takes roughly 1 to 4 hours to completely recharge. [AD]
Charging an iPad Air 2 from a Costa Rican power outlet by using a two pinned Type A USB adapter

Powering an iPad Air 2 with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

Using a USB Lightning Apple cable with a three pin Type B USB charger to recharge an iPad Air 2 from a Costa Rican power outlet.

  1. To power the iPad Air 2 using a Costa Rican power outlet you'll need to use a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - usually already included with your iPad Air 2.
  2. Begin the process by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and plugging it into the power outlet. The power supply (known as the Type B power outlet [6]) can be recognised by 2 slots next to each other where the short two blades go with a hole below for the longer ground pin.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB charging cable into the USB mains adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on an iPad Air 2. The iPad Air 2 lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad Air 2.
  4. Turn on the Costa Rican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPad Air 2 screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad Air 2 is charging, typically taking between 60 to 240 minutes to completely recharge. [AD]
Powering an iPad Air 2 with a Costa Rican power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Costa Rican Wikipedia web page
  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..