I had a very old Whirlpool fridge, and recently replaced it with a new model with the front water/ice dispensers. There was an ice maker in the old unit, but it never worked, and I didn't think it was even hooked up. Until I moved the old fridge out, and it had a copper compression hookup to the back.
When the new one was hooked up, I tried to hookup the same line, thinking maybe the icemaker in the old one was broken, or I didn't give it a long enough try to make ice. Well I couldn't get the compression nut to tighten on the new fitting, size was the same, but the compression nut was too "deep" and wouldn't tighten down to make the compression fitting. After testing the water, I became convince this setup is clogged and is not functional as is.
I headed to the store, to look at my options. I found they sold Pex QuickConnect kits (1/4" OD tubing, 1/8" ID) and having success with those for a past bathroom remodel, I felt confident this would be a good replacement for the old saddle-valve and copper compression setup.
Then I did a dumb thing... I clipped the line on the fridge, before the brass male threaded connection. Thinking I'd just attach the feed tube with the refrigerator tube using the supplied Pex QC coupling from the icemaker kit (1/4 OD to 1/4 OD).... only the fridge tube is a little too big. Thought then maybe it could be a 3/8" OD (although this looked really big at the store), but after trying that, no dice. Too big.
Looking at the male threaded end I cut off, the brass fitting fits inside the tubing... Am I dealing with a different breed of tubing? Should I be trying to use a traditional barbed Pex connection on this tube?
Thanks as always... I love these forums, and I am a lurker no more.
- Brian
When the new one was hooked up, I tried to hookup the same line, thinking maybe the icemaker in the old one was broken, or I didn't give it a long enough try to make ice. Well I couldn't get the compression nut to tighten on the new fitting, size was the same, but the compression nut was too "deep" and wouldn't tighten down to make the compression fitting. After testing the water, I became convince this setup is clogged and is not functional as is.
I headed to the store, to look at my options. I found they sold Pex QuickConnect kits (1/4" OD tubing, 1/8" ID) and having success with those for a past bathroom remodel, I felt confident this would be a good replacement for the old saddle-valve and copper compression setup.
Then I did a dumb thing... I clipped the line on the fridge, before the brass male threaded connection. Thinking I'd just attach the feed tube with the refrigerator tube using the supplied Pex QC coupling from the icemaker kit (1/4 OD to 1/4 OD).... only the fridge tube is a little too big. Thought then maybe it could be a 3/8" OD (although this looked really big at the store), but after trying that, no dice. Too big.
Looking at the male threaded end I cut off, the brass fitting fits inside the tubing... Am I dealing with a different breed of tubing? Should I be trying to use a traditional barbed Pex connection on this tube?
Thanks as always... I love these forums, and I am a lurker no more.
- Brian
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