How to charge the iPhone 5S when planning a trip to American Samoa

A guide showing you how to charge your iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet using the Apple Lightning connector and a 3 pinned Type B power charger, recharging the iPhone 5S using a double pin Type A USB charger and charging the iPhone 5S using a Schuko Type F USB charger

American Samoan power outlet

If packing for a holiday it's helpful to know in advance if you can power all your important electronics like mobile phones and cameras when you're there. But without knowing which wall socket is used you are likely to bring the wrong power charger, therefore leaving you having to borrow a potentially overpriced charger when you're there. Different region codes and sockets can all be confusing when planning to stay in another country especially to the first time traveller. When visiting American Samoa the following instructions show how to charge the iPhone 5S using their standard types I, A, B or F 120 volt 60Hz power outlets, Type I power outlets are typically used by a majority of American Samoans. Power supplies vary depending on which country you travelling to therefore we recommend reading our WikiConnections travel power sockets list for a complete list of countries. If the iPhone 5S slowly recharges or doesn't turn on when you are travelling to American Samoa from another country then check that it is compatible with a 110 volt power supply. Electrical devices which come from a different country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts either take longer to charge or won't turn on, check that the iPhone 5S is dual-voltage (you'll find these are usually marked with a 100-240 volt notation) otherwise you may need to use an additional power transformer to ensure proper use. If you intend on travelling to tourist destinations like Tafuna or Nu'uuli we also recommend referring to the wikipedia web page about American Samoa [1] for further information. These instructions assume you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPhone 5S.

Charging the iPhone 5S in American Samoa

Can you use the iPhone 5S in American Samoa?

Yes, you can connect the iPhone 5S to an American Samoan power outlet.

What is the best travel adapter for the iPhone 5S in American Samoa?

If you are travelling with more than just your iPhone 5S then the best travel charger for American Samoa to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. There are four different standards of plug sockets that American Samoans use (I, A, B and F) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type A. Because these types of chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle 100 volts to 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa simply by switching the included heads over. If your iPhone 5S can support Fast Charge (not all USB devices will) then you'll benefit from much quicker charging times with one of these types of USB power chargers, along with additional support for certain power hungry devices like tablets.

Unlike other chargers having a 4 port adapter means you can charge more than one device at the same time without needing to pack seperate travel adapters on your American Samoan trip. By only bringing a single lightweight USB travel charger will also keep the weight down, making it perfect to fold up in hand baggage while travelling. Due to their space saving versatility these types of travel adapters can be used when you return home as well as abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, smartphones and e-readers and using just a single plug socket.

We suggest searching for a multipurpose travel adapter similar to this online. The travel adapter illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for charging multiple USB devices in numerous different countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for American Samoa

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 5S, however for visitors also wanting to use their domestic plugs the following power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power strips offer surge protection which is necessary when visiting regions with unstable power grids. These travel converters come supplied 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 travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular compact power adapter for travellers originating from America going to American Samoa.
  • 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 America using type B plugs. This is a much cheaper alternative to the BESTEK with 1 less AC outlet at almost half the 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 ideal for most travellers from around the world visiting American Samoa. [12] [AD]
What is the best travel adapter for the iPhone 5S in American Samoa?

Powering the iPhone 5S with an American Samoan power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Using a Lightning cable and a double pinned Type A USB charger to power the iPhone 5S with an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPhone 5S from the American Samoan power outlet you will need a Type A USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple typically supply this USB cable when you purchase the iPhone 5S).
  2. Start the process by taking the Type A USB power plug adapter and inserting it into the power supply. You can identify this plug outlet by two thin slots adjacent to each other.
  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 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector is situated at bottom of the iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Turn on the American Samoan power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that appears in the top right corner of your mobile will display a charging icon to indicate that the mobile is powering up which should take between one to four hours to recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5S with an American Samoan power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type A USB adapter

Powering the iPhone 5S with an American Samoan power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type B power adapter to charge the iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. To supply power to your iPhone 5S from the American Samoan power outlet you will need a Type B USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple will usually supply the USB cable when you purchase your iPhone 5S).
  2. Start by taking the Type B USB power plug adapter and inserting it into the power outlet. You can identify this plug outlet by 2 thin slots with a single hole below for the longer ground pin.
  3. Connect one end of the Apple power cable into the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Switch on the American Samoan power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPhone 5S will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is recharging and takes roughly 60-240 minutes to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPhone 5S with an American Samoan power outlet by using a 3 pinned Type B USB adapter

How to use a Type F power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet

Using a Lightning connector and a two pinned Schuko Type F power charger to charge the iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet.

  1. If you want to charge your iPhone 5S using an American Samoan power outlet you'll need to use a Type F USB power plug adapter [9] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5], the USB cable is usually already included with your iPhone 5S by Apple.
  2. Firstly you'll need to insert the Type F USB power plug adapter into the American Samoan power outlet. The round power outlet, sometimes called a Type F power outlet [8] or Schuko outlet, can be identified by two large round holes 19 mm apart from each other, plus thin metal grounding clips at the top and bottom.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S Lightning connector can be found at bottom of the iPhone 5S under the home button.
  4. Switch on the American Samoan power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of your iPhone 5S will display a charge icon to indicate that the phone is charging and takes roughly 60-240 minutes to completely recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type F power charger for recharging your iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet

How to use a Type I power charger for charging your iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet

A guide on how to recharge the iPhone 5S with an American Samoan power outlet with a Lightning cable and a three pin Type I USB charger.

  1. To power the iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet you will need to buy a Type I USB power plug adapter [11] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (Apple should usually include the USB cable with your iPhone 5S).
  2. Begin by taking the Type I USB power plug adapter and inserting it in the wall outlet. You can identify the plug outlet by three thin slots in an upside-down triangle pattern with the top two slots sloping upward for the live, neutral and ground.
  3. Then connect one end of the Lightning charging cord into the mains USB 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. Turn on the American Samoan power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the mobile screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPhone 5S is recharging which takes around 1 - 4 hours to fully recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type I power charger for charging your iPhone 5S from an American Samoan power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - wikipedia web page about American Samoa
  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. iec.ch - Type F power outlet
  9. Type F USB power plug adapter - Compliant with Europlugs and CEE 7/17 specifications, the Type F or Schuko adapter is engineered to adapt German electrical power outlets into USB-compatible ports..
  10. iec.ch - Type I power outlet
  11. Type I USB power plug adapter - Type I USB chargers use three short flat blades in a V format with the top blade acting as a grounding pin.
  12. 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..