How to charge your iPad Air from a power outlet in Tobago

Instructions showing how to recharge your iPad Air from a Tobagonian power outlet using the Lightning Apple cable with a Type A power charger and how to charge the iPad Air using a three pin Type B USB adapter.

Tobagonian power outlet

If you are organizing a vacation to Tobago it is useful to know in advance if you can power all your common gadgets when you get there. But, without knowing which plug socket is used you are more likely to bring the wrong charger, meaning having to buy or borrow a potentially expensive power adaptor when you're there that might not be compatible. Varying different combinations of voltages and plug types can often be confusing when planning to stay in another country especially if you've never visited before. This isn't as complicated as it first appears, with only a handful of different types of standards used in the world this article tells you exactly what you'll need in advance to power your iPad Air in Tobago. When going to Tobago this page has instructions showing how to power the iPad Air using their types B or A Tobagonian 115 volt 60Hz plug outlets, most Tobagonians will typically use the Type B sockets in their power outlets. If the iPad Air charges slowly or does not power up when travelling to Tobago from another country please check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Devices which come from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts may take longer to charge or won't power up, check your device is a dual voltage device (normally marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional transformer to ensure proper use. If you intend on travelling to a place like Scarborough please refer to the Tobagonian wikipedia page [1] for more information prior to the location. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Air.

Charging the iPad Air in Tobago

Can you use the iPad Air in Tobago?

Yes, you can use the iPad Air in Tobago by using a power convertor.

What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad Air in Tobago?

When you are travelling to multiple countries the best international travel power adapter for Tobago to buy is a multiple USB charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different standards of wall outlets that Tobagonians use (types B and A) and using a power charger like this ensures that you are covered for type A. As these types of chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle 100 to 240 volts will mean that you can travel to multiple countries around the world simply by changing the supplied heads. If your iPad Air supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from quicker recharging times by using one of these types of power chargers along with additional compatibility with 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 trip. Because you are only needing to pack a single lightweight travel charger will help keep the weight and size down, making it ideal to fold up in hand baggage and suitable for recharging your iPad Air at the airport or on a flight. Because of their space saving flexibility these types of adapters can be used when you return home as well as abroad so when you’re not travelling they can be used overnight charging multiple tablets, phones and speakers and using just a single plug socket.

For those travelling frequently we recommend buying a versatile travel adapter like this at an electronics retailer, the multipurpose power charger illustrated 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 Tobago

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from any country wanting to recharge devices via USB, but for those also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power strips offer surge protection which is useful when visiting counties with unreliable power grids to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Europe, North America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling portable option for travellers originating from North America visiting Tobago using type B American 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 from the US using type B plugs. This is a more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with just 1 less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has just 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 Tobago. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad Air in Tobago?

How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPad Air from a Tobagonian power outlet

Using a Lightning cable with a Type A power adapter to charge the iPad Air with a Tobagonian power outlet.

  1. In order to charge the iPad Air using a Tobagonian power outlet you will need to buy a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple should typically include the USB cable when you first purchase the iPad Air.
  2. Begin the process by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and plugging it in the wall outlet. You can recognise the plug supply by 2 thin slots adjacent to each other for live and neutral pins.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the mains power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is situated at the bottom of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Tobagonian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of your tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Air is recharging which should take around 60-240 minutes to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type A power charger for charging your iPad Air from a Tobagonian power outlet

Charging the iPad Air from a Tobagonian power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

Using the Lightning Apple cable with a Type B power charger to charge the iPad Air with a Tobagonian power outlet.

  1. In order to charge your iPad Air using a Tobagonian power outlet you will need to buy a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple should typically include the USB cable when you first purchase your iPad Air.
  2. First plug in the Type B USB power plug adapter into the Tobagonian power outlet. You can recognise the plug outlet by 2 thin slots parallel to each other with a single hole below for the earthed pin.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the mains power charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is situated at the bottom of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the Tobagonian power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right hand corner of your tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Air is recharging which typically takes around 60-240 minutes to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Charging the iPad Air from a Tobagonian power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Tobagonian wikipedia 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..