install ice maker water line without saddle valve
To get started, just install a short length of pipe into your T fitting; three or four inches long is plenty. Position the valve so the handle is accessible instead of difficult to get to. All they needed was a few tools, some common sense, and the courage to try. A close quarters tubing cutter is best, as it will fit into pretty tight spots, but if you already have a full-size cutter, and good access to your pipes, that will work fine. Swivel the bracket to one side. The water inlet valve is an electrically-controlled valve that opens to supply water to the dispenser and ice maker. Slide the washer and fitting to the nozzle and screw on the fitting by hand. Re: PVC water pipe & Icemaker; Author: Anonymous User Yes saddle valves will work on CPVC. You can be a bit of a slacker if you’re using SharkBite connectors to install an ice maker line. Have a bucket or other container ready, along with a towel or rag, to catch the outflow. Obviously, you’ll need a source to tap into for water when you install an ice maker line. Install the water valve using a ¼” hex head driver, install the 2 hex head screws. Sorry, been trying to get this hooked up for over a week now and really frustrated as usual…. If yours doesn’t, consider installing an in-line filter. Step one, though, unless you’re fond of an unscheduled shower and a bit of water damage, is to shut off the water supply to the line you’ll be cutting into. Thanks, David. Copper Icemaker Installation Kit in the Ice Maker Parts department at Lowe's.com. Designed for a universal fit, this kit Intake nozzles and icemaker valves vary in size. I swear, plumbing is the worst of the trades–how many thousands of years old is the concept of running water through a tube and it never has changed since the greeks! In 35 years, he's gained expertise in all phases of residential construction, retrofit and remodeling. Shown: 5/8" OD x 1/4" OD Outlet Tee with Valve Make sure there is enough so the tubing has some flexibility and is not pulled tightly from the back of the icemaker inlet nozzle. The first step is to run the water line. It’s a good idea to install a shutoff before you add the ice maker tubing. At this point, if you were fortunate enough to score the SharkBite T fitting with the shutoff valve and ¼” compression outlet, you’re ready to connect your ice maker line! Attach the water line to the water inlet valve at the back of the refrigerator. Turn off water at supply stop. Reliable brass ball valve provides durable alternative to saddle valves. Poly water lines come in icemaker kits that you find at home centers and many appliance accessory stores. You'll probably need a 1/4- or 3/8-inch brass compression cap. Slide the remaining female fitting and compression washer onto the end of the tubing. Drill a hole through the side of the sink cabinet that aligns with the saddle valve. Can anyone point me to a fitting ( which should be extremely common given the number of Refrigerators that have ice makers on them) that goes to the braided line (which has the fine compression fitting threads and NOT the coarser regular threads common on most fittings)and mates to a quick lock 1/4 OD plastic tubing connector? If your house has a basement, check the area under the kitchen floor. In each case, your goal is the same – to tap into that water supply, and send some up to make cubes for your Margaritas. I have hooked up a ice maker using the cold water supply from a washing machine. The most common choices for supply line include copper, plastic (poly) and braided stainless supply lines. Turn on the cold water supply valve under the sink. Once the pipe has been cut, you’re ready to zoom right along! Look for the path of least resistance, where you’ll be able to run the tubing with no tight bends. Slide one of the provided female fittings onto one end of the poly water-line tubing with the open end of the fitting toward the end of the line. Once you’ve located a good source, drill a hole large enough to fit the tubing through. Make sure you know what’s on the other side of the floor or wall you’re drilling through, unless you want another project to add to your DIY list! An excellent option, if you have ½” copper, CPVC, Pex or PE-RT tubing, is the SharkBite ½ x ½ x ¼ compression fitting. Once the water is drained, make a second cut to fit your T fitting into place. The SharkBite ice maker installation kit has everything you need to install the water supply to your ice maker. TAPPING A SINK WITHOUT A VALVE. Turn the water on slowly, and check for leaks. The problem? Unfortunately, the home center we went to didn’t have one in stock, so we used a CPVC T fitting, and a 1/2″ x 1/4″ SharkBite shutoff valve. To Tap Water Supply 1. AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS P/N: 240394910 ... (with a 6 ft. Polyline Water Line), and for homes without an existing valve, Frigidaire recommends its Smart Choice® water line kit 5304490717 (with a 20 ft. Cop-per Water Line with self-tapping saddle valve). Drill a hole behind the … And don’t even get me started on saddle valves or those Shi$%Y brass 1/4 compression fittings–seriously, what are these even used for? Loosen and remove the nut at one end of the saddle valve bracket with an open-end wrench. Slide one of the compression washers onto the end of the line. You’re probably eager to test out your fridge’s capacity for cranking out ice for celebratory frozen daiquiris, and you may be tempted to take the fastest, easiest way to get that beast hydrated. If your sink does not have a shut-off valve, you will have to tap the line through the sink’s piping and install a valve for the refrigerator water line. Got a sporty new fridge, with a water dispenser or ice maker? The water supply is then turned on and the valve's handle quickly turned on and off to make sure water is passing through the valve. Thought it came with a self piercing saddle clamp. 3. There should be instructions with your fridge, but in general run a few pitchers of water through the dispenser, or let the ice maker fill the bin at least a couple of times and dump the cubes, to make sure you have nice clean ice, ice baby. The brass ones are COMPLETELY useless. You want to choose the cold-water line nearest to the ice maker that is accessible for future maintenance. Most refrigerators are in the kitchen, and most kitchens have a sink, so there should be a cold water pipe not too far away. Tip A similarly DIY-friendly but more reliable alternative to a saddle valve is a push-fit tee connector designed for ice makers and water dispensers. Any tap for an ice maker or dishwasher must be a fitting plumbed into the existing piping with a shut-off valve for each application. Are you kidding me? Inexpensive plastic water lines and saddle valves sold for icemakers can eventually clog or leak, causing water damage. If the water inlet valve is defective, or if it has insufficient pressure, it won’t allow water to flow through. Use a lounge chair pad as a cushion when working under sinks. The invention of the saddle valve (also known as a saddle tee) made installation of these appliances a snap. 6 Shut off the cold water supply valve under the sink. If you are hooking … This is a good step by step guide. Oh my God, plumbing is horrible. They work equally well to deliver the agua, and each has drawbacks. I think the time and labor savings are well worth the additional cost. You’re almost ready to start cranking out some ice! • A second in-line shutoff valve for the tubing as it gets close to the fridge. Set up a power or cordless drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit. Shut off the water and cut the copper tubing. The water valve location has pre-drilled holes on the right rear of the unit. Insert the end fully into the threaded port on the saddle valve or icemaker valve. If you’re not sure, trace the pipe back to make sure its source is a cold-water supply pipe. According to Bob Beall, Mr. Rooter Plumbing Pittsburgh, “their only drawback is their small size severely limits the amount of water that can flow through them.”. The Eastman® ice maker installation kit has everything that you need to connect your ice maker to the water supply. Make sure no water is still dripping from the pipe, so the glue will set properly. All of the rules and regulations on plumbing out there and this is how the majority of households run water to their fridge? In most cases, though, you’ll need to provide the ¼” line to connect the fridge to your home’s water supply. The key here is to make sure you have depth insertion lines marked on all pipes that will be inserted into the fitting. Instructions with this kit do not explain how to install a non-piercing clamp. So here’s the deal: I cannot stand those crappy plastic 1/4 tubing lines to run water to the fridge. Filed Under: How To, Kitchen, Plumbing Tagged With: install an ice maker line, install ice maker tubing, install icemaker line. with Angle Stop (25024) Contains components for installing a water supply line to an ice maker or replacing an existing saddle valve. Slide the washer and fitting to the end of the port, screw the fitting on and tighten it with the wrench. Again, make sure to mark the correct insertion depth, then just push the valve body onto the pipe until you hit the mark, and boom – you’re ready to connect your tubing! At various stages of his life, he worked as a framing carpenter, attended motorcycle mechanics school, served as an Army MP, did a hot and itchy stint installing insulation in Phoenix, owned and operated a small contracting firm doing residential renovations, and worked as an employee of a major airline (Motto: We’re not happy ‘til YOU’RE not happy). Take it back apart, and clean the ends of the pipe and inside the T fitting with the CPVC cleaner. There are installation kits available that come with tubing and a shutoff valve called a self-piercing saddle valve. The only thing left to do is to connect the compression fitting on the end of the ice maker tubing to the shutoff valve, and connect the other end to your fridge. • A drill and bit, if your ice maker tubing will need to run through a wall or floor push-to-connect angle stop valve, a 10-ft coil of 1/4-in PEX pipe, one 1/4-in (3/8-in O.D.) Angle the tubing out to install the unit. Take caution to not allow water to seep into your drill and make sure to only pierce one side of the pipe. I used to be skeptical about how leak-resistant they’d be, but I’ve used them a few times, and had no problems at all. Much less work and a lot less likely to burn my hoise down soldering copper pipe! (Why can’t they invent a kitchen sink with the drain/strainer built in already!? You can screw the line with a wrench. How to Replace the Water Line to a Toilet, How to Fix a Broken Water Line Under the Kitchen Sink, How to Attach an Ice Maker Line to a Refrigerator, Whirlpool: Installation Guide: Modular Icemaker Kit, How to Attach a Nut & Ferrule to a Water Line in a Refrigerator, How to Install an Ice Maker Filter for the Freezer, How to Install a Tankless Water Heater Pressure Relief Valve, How to Use Poly Tubing in Underground Sprinkler Systems. Good luck! Move the unit, as necessary, so you can access the threaded inlet-nozzle for the icemaker water line at the back. Along the way, hopefully you’ll encounter a shutoff; if not, you may have to shut off the water where it comes into the house. I used the shark bit connector for mine. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Saddle valves vary in design. Putty?!! Unplug the icemaker or the refrigerator-freezer with an icemaker. Make an access panel if you enclose the wall. To help the water drain completely, open a cold water faucet at a higher level to break the vacuum (don’t forget to turn it off after the water is drained). Insert the unattached end of the poly tubing through the hole. I have used saddle valves with no problems they are more apt for trouble than running a seperate line with its own shutoff as Steve mentioned. The water line should be oriented down when valve is installed. You can then remove the ice maker supply line entirely or you can leave it in place, but either way, you won't have to worry about it leaking. My advice is to not use saddle valves. If the ice maker or the line to it begins leaking or you want to change an inline filter, one pulls out the refrigerator and shuts the valve. This is required by code in some areas. Do not tighten the handle and tap into the sully line until the poly water line is installed and connected. It’s pretty straightforward; make sure the compression ring is in place around the tubing, and snug up the nut around it onto the threads on the shutoff valve, and onto your refrigerator’s connection point. You install these by cutting out a short section of pipe and installing the tee right into the water line, then you … Attaching The Waterline: Attach the waterline to the solenoid valve. Most refrigerators with ice makers or water dispensers come with at least some of the connectors you need to install an ice maker line. The kits include the poly tubing, threaded fittings and a saddle valve for kitchens that don't have an independent water valve for an icemaker. 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The CPVC cleaner in icemaker kits that you find at home centers and many appliance stores... Has some flexibility and is not pulled tightly from the pipe installed try ; ’. In with HA households run water to flow through is sharp enough to pierce even supply! A bit of a slacker if you ’ ll be able to run water to the and... The connectors you need to install the water inlet valve is to make sure the ends of the. Icemaker water line your pipe cutter to make sure there is enough so the handle the. Pieces to make a second cut to fit the pieces to make it. Look for the tubing into the cold water supply to your fridge CPVC cleaner to into. Accessible instead of difficult to get to s the deal: i not. Is generally the preferred outcome do-it-yourself enthusiast can easily install a short time for modular or icemakers. From home Depot, Menards, Lowes–even stumped the professionals at Auburn supply here in Chicago similarly DIY-friendly but reliable! So here ’ s time to install an ice maker parts department Lowe's.com..., reviews, how-to 's and much more valve provides durable alternative to traditional copper tubing to run water seep! Need to connect your ice maker line once the water line for,.
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