How to charge the iPad 4 when staying in Mexico

A step-by-step guide showing you how to recharge your iPad 4 from a Mexican power outlet with an Apple Lightning cable with a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter and how to recharge the iPad 4 using a Type B power charger.

Mexican power outlet

Various region codes and plug types can all cause confusion when planning on staying in another country especially if you've never visited before. When you're going to travel to Mexico these useful instructions show powering your iPad 4 using their Type B or A Mexican 127 volt 60Hz plug outlets, you'll discover most Mexicans will typically use the Type B sockets in their power outlets. Type A electrical sockets aren't as commonplace but still used by some hotels in Mexico. If the iPad 4 slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when you are travelling to Mexico from another region please 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 may take longer to charge or won't power up, so check your device is dual-voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional converter to ensure proper use. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad 4.

Charging the iPad 4 in Mexico

Can the iPad 4 be used in Mexico?

You can connect the iPad 4 to a Mexican power outlet by using a power convertor.

What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPad 4 in Mexico?

When you are travelling to more than one country the best international travel power adapter for Mexico to buy is a multiple USB port adapter which includes compatible plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. Mexicans use two different types of plug sockets (B and A) and bringing this will ensure that you are covered for type A.

As these types of chargers come with interchangeable plugs and can handle 100 - 240 volts it makes them ideal for multiple countries around the world simply by changing the included heads over. If your model of iPad 4 can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from quicker charging times with one of these travel adapters, along with additional compatibility with more power hungry devices. Unlike other chargers having a four port charger will also allow you to recharge more than one device at the same time without needing to buy individual power chargers or using up additional wall sockets. By only needing to pack a single international USB travel charger will keep the size down, making it perfect to store in hand baggage as well as being convenient for recharging your iPad 4 at the airport or on the plane. Because of their space saving flexibility these types of adapters can be used when back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets and smartphones with only a single plug socket.

For those travelling often we recommend searching for a versatile travel adapter like this at an electronics retailer. The power charger illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been tested successfully for recharging multiple USB devices in numerous foreign countries around the world with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for Mexico

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 the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power adapters offer surge protection which can be necessary when visiting counties with unreliable power grids. These travel converters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Continental Europe, North 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 power adapter for travellers originating from America visiting Mexico.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Likewise having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico travel adapter is also aimed at travellers originating from North America using type B plugs. This 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 a 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 Mexico. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for recharging the iPad 4 in Mexico?

How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Mexican power outlet

Instructions showing you how to charge the iPad 4 with a Mexican power outlet with the Lightning Apple connector and a two pinned Type A USB adapter.

  1. To supply power to your iPad 4 using the Mexican power outlet you'll need to use a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this cable is usually already included with your device).
  2. First plug the Type A USB power plug adapter into the wall outlet. You can identify this wall supply by 2 adjacent slots next to each other. Type A power outlets in Mexico aren't as commonplace but could still used by some hotels.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector can be found at the base of the iPad 4.
  4. Switch on the Mexican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of your tablet screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the tablet is charging which should take roughly 60-240 minutes to recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Mexican power outlet

How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Mexican power outlet

Instructions on how to recharge your iPad 4 from a Mexican power outlet with an Apple Lightning cable with a 3 pinned Type B USB charger.

  1. To supply power to the iPad 4 using a Mexican power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this cable is usually already supplied with the device).
  2. Start the process by inserting the Type B USB power plug adapter in the power outlet. You can recognise the power supply by 2 slots parallel to each other where the live and neutral plug outlet blades go with a hole below for the grounded pin. The most frequently used sockets in Mexico are Type B electrical sockets.
  3. Plug in the USB end of the Apple USB Lightning charging cable into the USB power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad 4. The iPad 4 lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad 4.
  4. Turn on the Mexican power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right corner of your iPad screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad 4 is recharging and takes between one-four hours to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type B power charger for recharging your iPad 4 from a Mexican power outlet

See also

  1. Visitmexico - Visit Mexico Web Site
  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..