Help please with hooking up ice maker with fridge

[afjes_2016]

Yes, thanks. I am going to order the 10foot one. I just need to know if the 1/4 that I have is going to work with the end of this braided hose. One end of the 1/4 will come from this hose and the other end from 1/2 PEX.

this is the 1/4 turn i have

1 PIECE XFITTING 1/2" PEX X 1/4" OD COMPRESSION 1/4 TURN STRAIGHT STOP VALVE - LEAD-FREE BRASS WITH METAL HANDLE - - Amazon.com

 

[oldognewtrick]

Should work on the 1/4 but you won't use the compression sleeve, that would be used for rigid copper line.

 

[afjes_2016]

Thanks.

On the 1/4" side of the 1/4 turn I am thinking from what you said I would remove the compression fitting (screw on fitting) and then just use the end of the braided hose fitting instead to connect to the 1/4 turn. I think I have it correct. I ordered the braided hose on Amazon. Much cheaper and I got a 15 foot length so it gives me slack when pulling out the fridge to clean behind it.

Amazon.com: Shark Industrial 15FT Stainless Steel Braided Ice Maker Hose with 1/4" Comp by 1/4" Comp Connection: Home Improvement

Thanks again for your help.

 

[bud16415]

Something like this but you wont use the saddle tap and with your PEX quarter turn shut off you might just cut the tubing off the one end.



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFBVLX...j1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

 

[afjes_2016]

Ok Bud I ordered the one you gave me the link to in your post #24 and cancelled the order for the other one. Now I am totally confused - head is spinning.

Thanks for your help - much appreciated!!

 

[bud16415]

You can try the end and nut that comes on the hose at your .5 PEX to .25 compression fitting it may well work. The kit comes with the nut and compression ring also (brass).

There are a bunch of similar kits on Amazon. All the ones I have done the 25’ PEX line was coiled up and taped to the back of the fridge.

 

[Eddie_T]

I am watching with interest as I need to reconnect my icemaker. I do electrical but plumbing connections are puzzling. At a glance it appears that the hose you ordered should fit both the PEX 1/4 turn and the fridge end. I think they call the ends compression only because they fit where a compression fitting can also be used JMO.

 

[bud16415]

I am watching with interest as I need to reconnect my icemaker. I do electrical but plumbing connections are puzzling. At a glance it appears that the hose you ordered should fit both the PEX 1/4 turn and the fridge end. I think they call the ends compression only because they fit where a compression fitting can also be used JMO.

Yes most fittings compression will work in several ways with a ferrule and nut and with the flange and nut. With copper you had the ferrule and the flair method. I think I have 3 or 4 flaring tool sets for copper and I don’t think I have used them in 8 years.

My dad was kind of ahead of the curve. He hated ridged copper and hated soldering. He plumbed our whole house when I was a kid with flex copper and flair fittings. It didn’t hurt he worked for a company that made flair fittings. It was like PEX only copper. They also made snap-tite quick change adapters like the plastic ones everyone sells now. Back then no one had such a thing and you screwed a garden hose on and off. I was about 10 and a neighbor asked me to hook up his hose and I stood there looking at it as I had always just snapped ours on. He had to come over and show me how to screw a garden hose on.

 

[afjes_2016]

Hey Bud. I just received the hose you suggested I buy. It seems to connect properly to the fitting on the fridge and I connected it temp just to test it to the 1/4 turn and it seems to connect properly there also.

Next test is to hook up the water line (PEX) to the house water and connect the hose to it. Let's see under pressure how it works. I believe from the way it connects now that it will work properly.

I don't know much about these but it seems to have included with it a device that you can take one end of the hose and clamp it directly to your copper water line and it will puncture the copper line and clamp to it so you don't have to do any other plumbing work. Is this correct? I still want to hook up the PEX with the 1/4 turn though since I have all the parts and tools. I feel it would be better and less chance of a leak also.

If my back is feeling ok this weekend I will be doing the water line hook up.

Thanks again Bud.

 

[bud16415]

Yep i was told by my dad at about 7-8 years old to never trust a side saddle tap. So I have never used them. I had one house that had one running a water line to a furnace and it was shut off and i never opened it.

I would feel much safer with the Tee cut into and done with sharkbite and PEX. Then again my dad might have told me never trust a sharkbite if he had seen them.

 

[afjes_2016]

Yep i was told by my dad at about 7-8 years old to never trust a side saddle tap. ..

I would feel much safer with the Tee cut into and done with sharkbite and PEX. Then again my dad might have told me never trust a sharkbite if he had seen them.

Haa Haa Haa!! At first when I looked at the saddle tap I had no clue what it was but then a cup of coffee and bingo it dawned on me.

The only sharkbite fittings I will be using is to cut in the copper pipe and connect PEX on one end of the coupling and copper pipe on the other. Pex sections will go to the "T" clamped with the crimper and then regular PEX connections with crimps from there on. The crimping tool looks and feels pretty solid. I tested it on a small piece of pex and it so far did a good job. Under pressure is a different story.

 

[bud16415]

I have used my PEX tool on larger rings to fix ends on garden hoses with regular hose barb fittings also. So much nicer than screw clamps.

The clamp wants to be about 3/16” from the end of the tube and at first I used to use a sharpie marker to mark the distance.

 

[afjes_2016]

Anytime a hose breaks or kinks I just buy a new one.

Yes, I know there has to be a small gap at the crimp. I am practicing with a short piece of PEX and a coupling. I have also learned how to remove the clamp. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to do it depending on my back issues.

 

[bud16415]

I have found the best way to take a clamp off with hand tools to use your large electrician wire cutters and snip the crimp off going across it sideways. Some guys use the crimping tool turning it 90 to the crimp and let the crimping jaws cut the crimp off. I think that is a good way to wreck your tool. A small grinder with a mini cutoff blade also works.

Good luck and think about how nice instant ice will be in your drinks.

 

[afjes_2016]

Ok, so I successfully tapped into the main water line with my PEX "T" then to a ball valve and then to the 1/4 turn. I just felt more secure with a ball valve inline with the 1/4 turn.

Meantime, the hose that connects from the fridge to the 1/4 turn worked great! Turned on the water and no leaks at all at all of the clamped areas. Not bad for the first time I guess.

Side note: not thrilled with the crimper. Although it is ratchet it requires the handle to be in the full open position so the hole where the clamp goes in is open far enough. This means that the crimper's handles are so far apart that there is no way you can hold the two handles together and squeeze. Hard to explain. You have to put the part of the clamp in the crimper's hold and with two hands gently squeeze the handles together until the hole in the crimper closes just enough to hold the clamp, then you have to position the clamp on the PEX where you want it and then crimp the clamp.

After I turned the water on I checked the fridge for any leaks and there were none.

Well, that is until I pushed the handle for the water part of the dispenser. Water came flying out from around the inside of the dispenser and the water spout. Look at the pic where the red lines and arrows are. This is where the water comes out but only when the water spout is pressed in, otherwise no leaks at all.

So I guess there is a breaches in the seal behind the dispenser or the hose going to the water spout came loose. No way for me to get to it from the front in the dispenser. I think I may have to remove the dispenser and get to the back of it where the hose goes into it. I don't know if I have to pull the dispenser out from the front of the freezer door or go from the inside of the freezer door.

According to the diagram of the freezer door parts explosion it looks as though i may have to go from the front of the door. I am concerned that if I go from the inside of the freezer do I may end up damaging the seal and that alone is $124 to replace.

Suggestions? Go from the front of the freezer door or from the inside of the door? I have never taken a door apart from a freezer before.

I did buy this fridge used from a used appliance store. No guarantee on the ice/water dispenser when I bought it so can't call them and complain.

Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[bud16415]

I’m glad the plumbing part went well. That is basically how my crimp tool works as well. Once you do a few it becomes easier to do.

Sorry to hear about the nozzle leak sounds like maybe the end hose has a hole or something. I have never had one apart so I don’t know. My guess is the cover comes off from the outside. Ours is much like yours but a different brand.

 

[afjes_2016]

Yes, seems like it does disassemble from the front of the freezer door. I never really noticed before today but when I pull out the spill tray in the dispenser area I see screw heads. Apparently it does get unscrewed and slides out. I will try it when I get some time.

Thanks