plumbing for a icemaker fridge

[Wood_workur]

I recently bought a new fridge with an icemaker. I want to run the line for the ice maker myself with a flood stop device attached to prevent my kitchen from flooding. It connects with a 1/4" compression fitting. I know how to get the pipe up to my kitchen, with all the fitting and such, but once I have the copper pipe in my kitchen, I don't really know what I do then. I belive I would solder on a 1/2" NPT fitting, then put on a a ball valve (that is the right name for that type of valve [like that you use under a sink], right?), then attach the flood stop FS 1/4-C, then run the tubing right? and all the fittings after the ball valve? are 1/4" compression, right? so I would need a 1/4" compression coupling to connect the flood stop to the ball valve? and the copper tubing would just need the compression nuts and the little adapter ferrule thingies that go into the pipe, right?

and P.S. I already know not to use a saddle valve to tap into the water supply.


oh- and are the ball valves (with the lever and such) connected with a compression fitting, too
and do I need one of those pipe expanders to use the compression joints?

[scorrpio]

I recently reworked my fridge hookup. Previous owner had this mess of a job, he slapped a saddle valve on what looked like the first pipe he saw(cold water going to laundry sink), ran 1/4" copper tubing through a hole drilled from basement to kitchen, and hooked it to a fridge there. The tubing was not secured in any way, it just hung there under the joists in a loop., spanning roughly 5 feet.

I took all that out, removed the saddle valve and sweated on a coupling where the pipe was pierced. I have a cold water main running real close to that hole in the floor. I enlarged the hole a bit to snugly accomodate a neoprene pipe insulation sleeve. I installed a reducer tee into the main, put in a globe valve, and then ran an elbow and 1/2 copper pipe through the floor, putting a neoprene sleeve on it. The sleeve cushions the pipe, seals the hole, and prevents condensation from contacting the kitchen subfloor.

Rather than soldering on an NPT fitting, I got a straight 1/4 turn stop valve with a 1/2" compression fitting. From it, I ran a flood-proof icemaker hookup hose.

On compression fittings: there are two styles:
1. Plain-end. No flaring needed. You simply slip the pipe end into the fitting as far as it will go, and then you hold the body with one wrench as you tighten the compression nut with another. Makes for a pretty solid connection. For thin-walled tubing, there is a stiffener insert that goes into the tubing and prevents it from collapsing.



2. Flare. After slipping a nut and a ferrule on the tubing, you flare it with a special tool. Flare fits over the cone-shaped fitting seat and is compressed around it with nut and ferrule.

[Wood_workur]

looking at the flood stop, it appears to be plain end. looking at the valve online from home depot, it also looks to be plain ended. I don't know about the fridge, though. Are they usually plain ended?

and could I connect the flood stop directly to the stop valve, or what do I need to do to connect two compression joints together?

[scorrpio]

Looking at the device, it appears it goes right into the compression fitting on the stop valve, without needing any other components.

[Wood_workur]

so it would connect in this order: stop valve, flood stop, 1/4" copper tubing?

[scorrpio]

Yes - though I wouldn't use copper tubing behind the fridge - that stuff looks like it could kink and break if bent in a wrong way - like when you push the fridge in position after the hookup. I have a Watts Floodsafe icemaker hose (braided steel jacket) there.

Floodsafe is nice, but it really only protects against a burst hose, not a small leak. The device you installing looks like it'll notice small leaks - as long as that pad is placed in the right spot.