Sockets in Nicaragua: Types A and B, supplied with 120 V at 60 Hz. 120 V instead of 230 V: check the rating plate before you plug in a hair dryer. An adapter does not change voltage. 60 Hz rather than 50 Hz matters only for motors and timers, not for power supplies.
Handy for multi-stop trips: Haiti, U.S. Virgin Islands, Honduras and El Salvador use the same plug types. Nearby but different: Dominica, Grenada and Greenland – an adapter for Nicaragua will not fit there. 24 of the 31 destinations in North and Central America share the plug types of Nicaragua.
Protective earth
Grounded and ungrounded sockets may occur
Not every socket in Nicaragua is earthed: Type B yes, Type A no. Class I appliances belong in an earthed outlet.
At 120 V a 230 V-only hair dryer will not work properly; dual-voltage chargers will. The 60 Hz supply matters for motors and mains clocks, not for chargers. Check your own device →
The records list Types A and B; the grid supplies 120 V at 60 Hz.
Will my hair dryer work in Nicaragua?
Nicaragua supplies 120 V. Dual-voltage chargers are fine; 230 V-only appliances need a converter.
An adapter changes the plug shape only, not voltage or frequency. Nicaragua supplies 120 V at 60 Hz – check the rating plate on your device. How to read a rating plate →
If a socket gets hot, crackles or smells burnt, unplug the device straight away.