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Replaceing GE refrigerator filter housing -- compression fittings how tight?

Replaceing GE refrigerator filter housing -- compression fittings how tight?


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Old 04-03-16, 01:13 PM
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Replaceing GE refrigerator filter housing -- compression fittings how tight?

I need to replace the water filter housing / head on my GE refrigerator (part # WR17X12203). It has a plastic hose with what looks like a compression fitting with a ferule built into the tubing picture here: http://cdn.appliancepartspros.com/im...97349_03_l.jpg). How much are these fittings supposed to be tightened (turns past finger tight)? Thanks for any help.
 
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Old 04-03-16, 01:20 PM
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Maybe I answered my own question: this This Old House video refers to this as a "ground joint connection". It looks like he tightens it about 3/4 to 1 turn beyond finger tight.
How to Connect a Refrigerator Water and Ice Dispenser | Video | This Old House
 
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Old 04-03-16, 01:28 PM
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Maybe one turn.... turn and a half. It depends on the fitting. You want it tight but you don't want to strip it. Better to err on the looser side.... if it drips....tighten it a little more.
 
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Old 04-03-16, 03:06 PM
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Richard Trethewey may have grown up in the family plumbing business and he may have a Taxechusetts master plumber license (maybe a political favor, probably not) but he is no plumber in my book. In fact, he is a CONSULTANT and manufacturer's agent in real life.

There are so many mistakes in that video it makes me sick. That is NOT a "ground joint" fitting, it is a preformed plastic coned compression fitting. Thread sealant should NEVER be used on such a connection and especially the HUGE glob of sealant he used. Even if sealant was necessary he used about twenty times more than would be needed. Several other questionable practices as well.

PJ IS correct that in the case of any compression fitting, be it a formed coned fitting on plastic pipe or a loose ferrule, that is best to err on the side of too lose and then CAREFULLY tighten just enough to stop any leaks. Compression fittings are prone to leak, or worse, break, if too much torque is used in the initial tightening.
 
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Old 04-04-16, 03:40 AM
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One thing they never show or put into directions is that for need to purge the filter and lines of air. If you don't the shut off valve in ref. will leak until all air is gone.
 
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Old 04-04-16, 10:14 AM
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Thread sealant should NEVER be used on such a connection
Thanks for replying Furd -- I did wonder about the pipe dope. My understanding is that pipe dope or tape is only used when threads are creating the actual water-tight seal which is clearly not the case with this type of fitting. So I was surprised to see it being used here. That said, the professional plumbers (professional at least in the sense that they did work for money) who built my house put that stuff on everything too.

(and thanks everybody else for the replies too!)
 
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Old 04-04-16, 11:55 AM
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I think I have seen the "glop up the fitting with thread sealant before screwing together" nonsense on just about every TV home improvement show that features any plumbing work. You are correct, the thread sealant is ONLY to be used on tapered pipe threads. Some people will advocate its use as a lubricant on the fitting threads but prefer a drop (no more than a drop) of oil and then only if necessary due to a poorly threaded (read cheap) fitting.

Any true professional will clean up the excess thread sealant after the fitting is made up.
 
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Old 07-06-16, 12:06 PM
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It depends on the fitting.
It sure does! GE makes a PEX ice maker supply line (which is apparently the only thing GE recommends using, aside from copper), which has the same type of fittings on it. My local store had two slightly different versions of the product on the shelf, both with the same model number, which I think were just manufactured at different times (new version vs. old discontinued version). The only differences I could see between the two (besides cosmetic packaging differences) were that the molded ferrules were a little different, and the instructions: 1 turn vs. 2.5 turns past finger tight! That's quite a difference.
 
 

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