How it connects
The female collar slips over the male 3-inch OD post or tenon and is fastened and clamped against the pole using two or three radial set screws or thumbscrews.
Male and female halves
Female socket/collar on the luminaire base; mates over a male post top or mounting adapter (typically 3-inch outer diameter).
Usually connects to
Common sizes
- Residential lanterns commonly fit a 3 in (76.2 mm) OD post, with bore estimates about 3.05 in or 77 mm.
- Other slip-fit tenons include 2-3/8, 2-7/8 and 4 in; match the specific fitter.
Where it is used
residential outdoor lightingdriveway and walkway post lanternscommercial post-top area lightingoutdoor post lanternsresidential landscape lightingarea and street lighting poles
Variations
- integral cast lantern base with socket
- pier mount base adapter
- globe holder fitter with socket
- adjustable slip fitter for flood/area lighting
- 3-screw post top fitter
- slip fitter / tenon adapter for area lights (2-3/8 in. tenon)
- fitter with integrated socket and globe wing clips
How to recognise it
A cylindrical downward-facing collar or cup at the base of a lantern or adapter with approximately 3 inch (76-78 mm) internal diameter and 2 to 3 threaded holes around the perimeter for set screws or thumb screws.
Often confused with
| Confused with | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Commercial Slip Fitter (2-3/8 inch tenon mount) | Commercial tenon slip fitters are typically 2-3/8 inch ID and often include an angle-adjustable knuckle for floodlights, whereas residential post fitters are 3 inch ID and mount vertically atop lamp posts. |
| Glass / Shade Fitter | A glass/shade fitter secures the globe or diffuser on top of the fixture (often 3-1/4, 4, or 6-inch lip), whereas the post fitter collar is at the fixture base and attaches to the pole. |
| Threaded pipe mount (e.g. 1/2 in. NPS/IP lamp pipe) | Threaded mounts screw on; a post fitter is a plain smooth bore with radial screws in the wall. |
| Globe/shade fitter (neck fitter with thumb screws) | Globe fitters grip a glass shade's neck at the top; the post fitter grips the post at the bottom of the fixture. |
Also called
3-inch post fitterpost top fitterlantern post fitter socketslip fitter collarlamp post collarpole fitterslipfitter mount
Good to know
In residential outdoor lighting in North America, 3-inch outer diameter is the ubiquitous standard pole size for post lanterns.
Related connections
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