How to Connect the Water Line to Your Ice Maker

The old refrigerator had finally given up the struggle and had to be replaced. The new one was all spiffy and clean and was sporting some nifty features. First and foremost it had the ability to provide ice at the touch of a button. Or cold water. Even crushed ice.

But, it had to have a supply of water to produce that ice and that was the job I was going to be performing today. The nearest source of water in this kitchen was the cold water supply line to the kitchen sink. I took a look under the sink and saw that this supply line was 3/8ths inch copper tubing. This was not a good thing to find. There is a kit you can buy that offers everything you will need to hook up the fridge to a water source but this kit will not allow you to use 3/8ths inch copper tubing. I would have to replace this line before going ny farther.

A trip to the hardware store got me all the parts I would need to replace the pipe and get water to the fridge. After closing the supply valve to the cold water side of the sink I used a pipe wrench to break loose the connections and remove the copper tubing. I replaced it with half inch plastic pipe.

Getting the fridge connected to the water was quite easy. Included in the kit is a 25 foot length of plastic tubing, some connection adapters and a saddle clamp. This clamp goes on the water pipe under the sink. This saddle clamp has made onto it a piercing adapter. This is just a T handle with a sharp point. Turn it clock wise and it will advance and pierce the pipe. There is a rubber gasket built in so there are no leaks.You place the clamp on the pipe and then repeatedly rotate the piercing adapter in and out several times, increasing the turns slightly each time..and the pointed end of the tool will pierce the pipe for you. Made on to the side of the piercing tool is a connector that will fit the plastic tubing and once the tubing is run over to the fridge and attached, you open the piercing tool valve and water will then flow up to the fridge.

Over time the tubing will get clogged at the cold water pipe due to impurities in the water supply. Just use the piercing tool to clear the clog by running it in and out a few times.