Fittings Needed to Connect an Ice Maker to Plastic Tubing

To hook up a refrigerator ice maker, you will need to connect a line of plastic or copper tubing to a cold water line to carry water to the refrigerator. Plastic tubing is less expensive and easier to install than copper. You then need to connect the tubing at the back of the refrigerator. An ice maker kit will provide all the fittings necessary to connect your ice maker to the plastic water tubing.

Cut the Plastic Tubing

Before installing the plastic tubing into the refrigerator fitting, cut the tubing to an appropriate length. While you do not want 20 feet of pipe behind your refrigerator, leave enough slack so that you can pull the fridge away from the wall (enough to access the rear of the fridge) without putting tension on the water line. The beauty of plastic tubing is that it is flexible. After performing a straight cut, simply roll up the tubing. When you finish the job and slide the refrigerator back into place, the tubing roll will press against the wall, using almost no space.

Compression Fitting

Most modern refrigerators have a compression fitting built into the unit, so all you need to do is connect the plastic tubing. If your refrigerator does not have a compression fitting, install the fitting that comes with the ice maker kit. Wrap the threads with pipe-thread tape and tighten the male fitting into the female threads. The other side of the fitting is a compression fitting, which you will use to connect the plastic tubing to the refrigerator.

Compression Nut and Ring

Inside the ice maker kit will be a compression nut and ring. Slide the threaded compression nut and compression ring onto the plastic tubing. The nut threads should face the end of the tubing. Do not forget the ring, as the compression fitting will not work without it. Be sure to use a plastic ring for plastic tubing; brass rings are made for copper pipe and can cut through plastic tubing.

Plastic Insert

There will be plastic inserts in the ice maker kit. Simply slide one into the end of the plastic tubing. This will prevent leaks by ensuring the plastic tubing does not bend or collapse when compressed.

Tighten Compression Nut

Insert the tubing into the compression fitting, making sure the tubing goes all the way in. One trick plumbers use to prevent leaks on compression fittings is to dab a little pipe dope around the compression ring before sliding it into the compression fitting. Turn the nut onto the threads by hand and then tighten with an adjustable wrench. Turn on the water and check for leaks.