Help - my Whirlpool fridge (25 years old) has a leak at a compression bulkhead fitting. It only leaks when I try to get water from the water dispenser in the door. So the tubing / valve is downstream of the operating valve I guess.

I'm hoping it's the fitting and I can just tighten it. But perhaps there is something wrong w/ the tubing or the fitting. Worst case it may be the fitting on the bulkhead side (I need to go back to the fridge and take a look at it again - not sure what it looks like).

Question: if I tighten the fitting and it doesn't stop the leak, then I'll try to replace the end of the tubing and the fitting (need a coupling connector, the compression fitting and a short length of tubing. How do I figure out what material the tubing and fitting is? It seems like clear plastic - perhaps teflon tubing? And what gauge? 1/4" OD?

If I can figure it out, I think I can go buy parts at HD/Lowes. If so, how do I sterilize the new tubing? Boil in water briefly? Or is new tubing like this generally safe to use as-is?

The bulkhead may be more involved - may need to find the part.

I think they are usually 1/4”, you can tighten first but do not over tighten. Copper and plastic fittings are easy to replace. If it is copper, cut, ream out and put new compression fitting on (do not over tighten and do not deform the copper when cutting). Plastic - just cut and replace. The bulkhead will be a bit harder but mine have always leaked at the compression fittings and were easy to fix.

Thanks. It looks like two different sizes are used at the valve, one valve outlet goes to water dispenser; this looks 1/4". The other valve outlet goes to ice maker; this looks smaller than 1/4" (or at least it's smaller than the water outlet). I guess one of them is 1/4"

Can I replace the plastic compression fitting (going into a plastic connector on the valve outlet) with a brass fitting? Do they make such fittings in brass? I'd like to go to HD tomorrow and try to pick up a fitting to fix this.

I found a part for the water inlet valve assembly; it looks basically like what I have (an input port coming from the water filter and two valves going to two outlet ports (water and ice maker)). But the new part has the inlet port and the electrical connections on the same side; mine has the electrical connections on the opposite side of the inlet port; I don't think I have enough slack in the wiring to connect the wiring to the valve connectors. I can't find another water inlet valve assembly like mine (this new one is listed as compatible and likely is except for the wiring connector location).

I hope I don't need to replace the valve assembly; just replace the tubing side compression fitting and be done. Hope I can find something at HD tomorrow. (plastic or brass assuming either is okay).

ETA: assuming the tubing is 1/4" plastic(?), can I use this in place of the current plastic fitting?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ev...ing-800629/300096260

The plastic gets embrittled over time and checks and breaks. The water dispenser side tubing I believe is 5/16"

Awesome, thanks Brad. I'll plan to pick up 5/16" and 1/4" (or what do you think the ice maker tubing side is?). I think I only need the water side for now but may as well buy the part for the ice maker side too.

Can I use a brass fitting like this? I not finding a plastic part yet.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ev...ing-800629/300096260

this is 1/4" - trying to find a 5/16" version....


ETA: Also, I'm guessing the plumbers pipe thread sealant isn't indicated here since either the tubing or the fittings are damaged / cracked. Need to replace a part rather than try to seal with sealant. But just checking if this is an option. I'm having a hard time finding 5/16" fittings.... Just 1/4" or 3/8". (or 5/8" which is likely too big).

On hose that old, the hose is brittle. You can try to cut it back 1/2" and put a new compression fitting but the hose will just break again. Replace both the hose and the fittings, the hose is cheap and easily found at Ace Hardware.

Thx. I’ll try to replace the fitting tomorrow; hope it’s 1-4” as that all I could find. I hope brass (with the insert?) will be okay since I can’t find a plastic one.

I’ll look into how to replace the tubing next. No idea how to get to it point to point, especially how to connect at the door dispenser.

jimmy123x is 100% correct.

Don't waste time cutting back tubing or any other "timesaving/$ saving shortcuts, for any tubing leaks if they are at the fittings.

Replace the tubing and fittings, and do not overtighten the fittings. It's small inch lbs.


And in some cases, the water dispenser will leak because the filter is clogged/restricted from debris. (so it is not the internal shut off/check valve as would seem logical)

Even if there is a "schedule" to change the filter, of water quality is poor with sediment and other things that shorten the life of the filter, it lowers the pressure that ensures shutoff at the water despenser.

And then it drips and makes a mess on the door and the floor.

Meaning it may not have anything to do with (some of) the tubing/fittings.

I have had this issue with two different refrigerators over the years, and it took time to figure it out. Both times it was the filter.

It looks like the water line is 5/16" OD tubing (I tried to measure using calipers and got 0.31xx"); the ice maker line is 1/4" OD tubing.

1/4" components are readily available: tubing, compression fittings, couplings, etc.

It's very hard to find 5/16" components. In particular, no compression fittings / nuts / sleeves. I did find a 10' length of 5/16" polyethylene hose. And 5/16" coupling.

I can try to replace a section of the water line with the new tubing and the coupler. But I can't find a new compression nut.

Do you guys think I can re-use the compression nut, just use a new section of tubing? Or is the nut bad as well? I'm SOL if the valve body side is bad....

tubing:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ev.../a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a

coupling:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Jo.../a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a

sigmonkey: I'll replace the filter after I fix the leak at the fitting.

Okay, for semi-closure for now:

Good: the leak is fixed. I did what you guys advised me not to do and cut of about 1" of the existing tubing (which is 5/16" confirmed) and used the existing fitting and valve assembly. Of the 3 components involved, it looks like the tubing was the issue. The fridge is back in service for now.

Bad: I trust the above that the tubing is probably old and bad and should be replaced. The problem: I can't find replacement tubing. I also can't figure out the routing: the tubing leaves the valve assembly and disappears into a whole in the back rear of the fridge. Presumably to go to the dispenser somehow. BUT, there is identical tubing that is either also going into the same hole or leaving the same hole; this tubing goes to the front bottom of fridge somewhere (haven't figured out where yet).

So, I don't know the routing of the tubing from valve to dispenser, what length of tubing is needed and if any components (ie - couplers) are needed. And I don't know how to figure this out - I don't have a manual or anything.

I do have an ability, at least theoretically, to splice out a section of the existing tubing and replace it with what I think is appropriate tubing (polyethylene 5/16") and press fit coupling. If I get another tubing leak at the fitting, I can splice in a new patch which should theoretically work at least temporarily.

Would like to find out how to replace the full tubing and where to buy it. Not sure how to do this yet.

Frickin A. What, pray tell, compelled the engineers at Whirlpool to use such a non-standard size for tubing and fittings? I can find 1/4" and 3/8" in abundance everywhere. 5/16" is impossible to find. I'm screwed if the fitting goes bad and/or a splice doesn't work. To have to buy a new fridge for something like this will piss me off.

If you have a plumbing supply locally, go there and ask for help. Sometimes my local Ace has people knowledgeable. Check YouTube for videos and also try AI. I know it sounds crazy but my co-worker used AI to find why his new A/C would not control humidity. He took a picture of the electrical area and entered it into AI. It told him that a jumper needed to be cut for it to control humidity and temp. He told AI to show him the page on the install manual where it stated that and it did. AI was correct, that was the problem and the A/C company that installed it could not figure it out (that is a whole other story).

If you have the size, one would think Amazon or fleabay would have it. After that the special order option.

I know it’s a thing, ice & water from the fridge door. I can’t be the only one that still makes cubes in a tray? I seem to have plenty available, 2 trays.

I do have an R.O. faucet in the sink, for purified water.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I know it’s a thing, ice & water from the fridge door. I can’t be the only one that still makes cubes in a tray? I seem to have plenty available, 2 trays.

Same here, avoided fridge water/ice like the plague. Another black hole for money. Ice trays dumped into a freezer bucket worked fine.

I figured out the routing of the water supply line. It's called a water reservoir line - basically it goes from the valve to inside the fridge with numerous loops inside before returning back out of the fridge to the lower front of the fridge (to a coupling that leads to a line that goes inside the door and out the dispenser).

Basically, it cools the water before dispensing. I think I can get this water kit (kinda of expensive for what it is - just tubing of a predetermined length looped around between the ends). If/when the existing tubing breaks again, I'll replace the whole line instead of just splicing (although I think splicing in a stress free location may work sufficiently well since the fridge is old and may die soon anyway; or maybe not which is why I'm trying to keep it alive. They don't make them like they used to).

Be sure to replace the water line from the wall to the fridge with a braided hose. Years ago ours broke during the night. It ruined the hard wood floors in our kitchen.

Now everything gets braided lines. Dishwasher, washing machine and even the supply for the toilets.

It's cheap insurance.

Thx. Yup already braided albeit a bit old.

Been a tough month for home appliances 'In the Gilded Cage'...

Lol. Yes, it has been. Which has triggered some proactive intentions like the water heater. Now that I'm w/o income, I'm expecting everything to just fail suddenly. Such is (my) life.

Failures aggravated by some (temporary) mobility issues that make it difficult to drive around, walk around, stand/knee/bend.

And yet, there is no rain, let alone pouring rain. I guess the best is being saved for last.

So, all the help I get here is more valuable than one might realize. Every tidbit helps. I'm grateful.

Well I thought the saga was over. Crap, the dispenser is slowly dripping water. Seems like there is a leak in the line. Or the inlet valve is failing.

I’m going to start with a line leak at the fitting again. As I haven’t found a new fitting yet, I’m going to either undo a loop in the “reservoir” to extend the line so there isn’t any stress at the fitting. Or splice in some of the new line I bought at HD (not sure it’s the same tubing material but is supposed to be clean and for use with potable water). The latter is probably easier but introduces new leak points at the coupling to splice the two lines together.

I struggled finding a leak coming from my refrigerator's ice maker line one time. I first dried the floor area, snugged the compression fitting, then wrapped a paper towel around the fitting. When I checked the next day there was water again on the floor but the fitting and towel was dry. After wiping the floor again I sat there and watched for water coming from some place and there was none. About 20 minutes later I heard the ice maker kick on and low and behold a little trickle of water ran out from under the fridge. It turned out that the fitting on the in-line valve that went up into the ice maker inside had developed a crack. So water only leaked when the valve opened to fill the ice tray then stopped after the valve closed.