Fainche Outdoor Lamp Post Light Fixture with GFCI Review

Fainche Outdoor Lamp Post Light Fixture with GFCI Review

Buy it at Amazon: Fainche Outdoor Lamp Post Light Fixture with GFCI [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Straightforward installation, convenient auto on/off, decent amount of light at night and extra outdoor outlets.

You’ll receive the glass light fixture, pyramidal cover, topper ornament, a bag with 3 wire nuts and illustrated instructions; the GFCI unit comes with its own set of instructions and wire nuts so you can add two outdoor outlets to your lamp post.

The GFCI outlet housing is a heavy-duty metal tube that measures 10” long with a 3” diameter opening on the bottom. There are three wires inside for the electric, ground, neutral, and live. Around the bottom are three set screws for attaching to your lamp post. An ambient light sensor at the front will turn the light on automatically when it is dark enough out and shuts it off when enough light hits the sensor at sunrise. At the back is hinged door that is secured with a magnet; it’s easy to open and stays closed to keep water and debris out. The GFCI outlet inside has two sockets with the test and reset buttons in the middle, just like ones you would find inside your home. The outlets feature tamper resistant plastic shields that protect the plugs from water and dirt when nothing is plugged in. To either side of the outlets are status LEDs so you know if they have power. At the top of the tube are two wires for attaching to the light fixture and a green ground screw. Two wire nuts are included with its installation instructions.

For the light fixture, the outer housing is also made of metal that is black powder coated and the side panels are made of flat glass. The size of each panel is 10” by about 6” though they are slightly wider at the top. Inside the fixture is a single standard E26 light bulb socket and four holes to allow water out if any happens to make its way inside the fixture. You can use any standard lightbulb in this fixture including incandescent, Fluorescent, and LED though note that a bulb is not included.
The base of this fixture is sized to fit a 3” light post and it has 4 set screws and again three wires inside for connecting to your power lines. The cap for the light measures 9” square and about 4.5” tall, the topper ornament will add another 1.5” to the height when assembled.

To install the ornament, remove the nut on its threaded post, as well as the washer behind it. Then place the ornament through the hole on the cover, place the washer over the post and thread the nut back on, inside the cover until it is tight. Check the make sure that the ornament is square on top. There are two small Phillipshead screws on the underside of the cap that you’ll need to remove to install it on the light fixture. Those will align with the two holes on either side of the top rim of the light, and the screws will be tightened from underneath.

To attach the light fixture to the top of the GFCI, remove the pre-cut tips on the wires. Twist together the two white wire ends in a clockwise direction then twist on a wire cap; do the same with the black and red wires. Slightly loosen the green screw and wrap the bare copper ground wire around it one to two times in a clockwise direction before tightening down the screw. Loosen or remove the four set screws, ensuing that they are backed out until flush with the inside. Place the excess wire into the base of the light fixture, then seat it on top of the GFCI post. Note that when fully seated there will be a ¼” gap. Tighten each of the set screws a little bit at a time, making sure to do each one a couple turns before tightening down fully until secure.

When wiring to your lamp post, be sure that the power is switched off and remember to note which of your wires is neutral, live, and ground. Then attach them to the bottom of the GFCI adapter accordingly with the included wire caps: green to ground, white to neutral, and black to live. Carefully loosen or remove the three set screws before pushing any excess wire into the lamp post and setting the GFCI on top. When positioning the outlets keep in mind that the light sensor is on the opposite side and should point away from bright nighttime light sources like street lights, which may prevent your lamp post from turning on. Once positioned, tighten down the three set screws.

After you’ve restored power to the lamp post, open the GFCI panel and press the reset button. The green LED on the left should be illuminated if the plug is receiving power. Test it by plugging something into both sockets to ensure they are receiving power. Remember, the light will only turn on if it is dark out, so you may need to cover the light sensor with your hand to make the light turn on if testing during the day. I've installed a warm white LED Edison bulb and at night the light fixture casts a nice wide cone of light that illuminates the front steps and much of our front patio; it comes on at dusk and shuts off at dawn automatically. Its installation was simple and straight forward, and the build quality appears to be solid and durable.

Buy it at Amazon: Fainche Outdoor Lamp Post Light Fixture with GFCI [Affiliate Link]