Plumbing – What size is an ice maker connection

plumbing

The ice maker line to my refrigerator currently has no shutoff valve and I'd like to add one but I can't figure out what size the connector is. I purchased a 1/4 inch valve since the ice maker connector I have says 1/4 FCM on it but it did not fit. It looks more like 1/8 inch, but a 1/8 inch valve doesn't fit either, although it is very close. Where can I find information about water pipe sizes, there must be some standard?

My fridge is a GE CFCP1NIZSS:
http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=CFCP1NIZSS

The copper water line I am connecting it to has the exact same measurement as the fridge.

This valve was extremely close in size, and just barely didn't fit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005C0J3XI/ref=oh_o02_s00_i00_details

UPDATE:

Okay I thought that searching the internet for 1/4" OD Valve Male Female would get me what I need but I am getting no results so I've reopened the question! Can anyone give me a web link to a product that will fit? I've added a photo of the current connection where I'd like to add the valve. Thanks!

Photo of water connection

Best Answer

There are different standards to pipes and threads. Your issue is that you are trying to mix two different threaded standards.

The ball valve that you linked to has national pipe threads (NPT). NPT are tapered and it is that taper that makes the seal between a male and female joint. No washers are required.

What is shown in your photo is compression fittings which have a straight or running thread. The seal is made by either a ferrule or a rubber washer.

In your case, the connection between the copper tube and the supply hose has been made as follows:

1/4" Copper Tube > 1/4" Compression by 1/4" Compression Coupling > 1/4" Supply Hose

The seal on the copper tube is made by a ferrule that is located under the nut. As the nut is tightened, the ferrule is compressed between the coupling and the pipe.

The seal on the supply hose side is made by a rubber washer which is usually built-in the the nut of the supply hose. (The compression coupling would have come with two nuts, one of which has been discarded as the supply hose has one built-in.)

So, to answer your question, you simply need a 1/4" compression x 1/4" compression valve that will replace the current coupling. Here is a link to such a valve.