Terminology for elbow - female to male 1/4 inch compression fitting?

[Stephen Tashiro]

I need a 90 degree elbow that attaches to the end of 1/4 inch male compression fitting on one end and presents a 1/4 inch male compression fitting on the the other end. What's the proprer terminology to describes the female end of the elbow? Is it 3/8 inch NTPF?

The elbow is for the water supply line to the ice maker on a refrigerator. By local standards, this elbow is a rare part. None of the hardware stores stock it. I'll have to order it online, so I need the correct terminology.

[Mark Bolton]

The standard fitting for an icemaker would be a 1/4" male NPT x 1/4" compression elbow. Your description is a.bit misleading but if your trying to come our of the solenoid on the fridge for an icemaker connection youd be going from 1/4" npt to compression. Not compression to compression and not NPTf to compression. It would just be NPT to compression and they should be readily available in a 90 or a straight connection.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Your description is a.bit misleading .

I need an elbow with a female end that fits over a 1/4 inch macle compression fitting and a male end that is a male 1/4 inch compression fitting. (Maybe "compression fitting" automatically refers to male fittings?)

The difficulty I have with terminology is a "1/4 inch" male compression fitting has a diameter of about 3/8t hs of an inch. So what's the proper terminology for describing a female fitting that fits over a "1/4 inch" male compression fitting?

The female fitting doesn't involve a sleeve and a compression nut. I want it to screw the female end directly on to the male part of a 1/4 inch compression fitting - like ordinary non-compression pipes are joined.

Perhaps the threads on compression fittings aren't designed to make a tight connection this way?

[Lee Schierer]

Take one of your compression fittings to Lowes or Home Depot. They have a whole selection of 1/4" npt fittings to choose from including 90 degree elbows (two male or female ends), street elbows (one male one female end), and 45 degree elbows in each variety.
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[Bruce Wrenn]

Compression fittings are all female, with the line, nut and compression ring being the male part.

[Stephen Tashiro]

I've been to local hardware stores and, according to the staff, they don't stock the elbow I want. I didn't find one when I looked myself.

In case my question still isn't clear, here is a photo. The copper line will be replaced by the braided line, but the braided line has a burst protector on the end, so it can't make the right angle turn to go from the valve up the wall.392829

[Ken Combs]

You can take another route using stuff that will be locally available. A short pipe nipple to extend from the tee and a pipe street ell to point it up. Attach the valve and reuse your existing compression adapter.

[Ronald Blue]

This is at least similar to what you need. You use your lines compression fitting rather than the one that comes on the fitting. You might need a reducing bushing to get you from the valve to the elbow.

lowes.com/pd/B-K-1-4-in-Compression-x-MIP-Elbow-Fitting/1000505417

[Tom Stenzel]

A 90 degree pipe fitting that's male on on one end and female on the other is called a street elbow.

It's hard to tell from the photo but on the discharge side of the valve looks like a 1/2" NPT to a 1/4" compression fitting. That can be removed and replaced with a 90 degree version.

Or is there a reason you absolutely need to use the fitting on the valve? If so get a street elbow of the size the NPT end of the fitting and install it between the valve and the fitting. That'll give you the 90 turn you want.

I never liked using street elbows, it just seemed a makeshift fix for sloppy work. But a couple stuck together can get you out of a a lot of plumbing problems. One would take care of yours.

(Edit: I know, I just echoed what everyone else said).

[James Pallas]

Stephen take the pieces you need to go from and to and try the auto parts store or a true plumbing supply house. It appears that you need to take that compression adaptor out of the house valve. Replace that with a bushing to get to 1/4" NPT and than use a regular 1/4" NPT to compression ell. I'm guessing but that house valve looks like it may be 3/8". So you need a 3/8" to 1/4" NPT bushing, a 1/4" NPT to compression ell.
Jim

[Thomas L Carpenter]

Good luck with this. This kind of thing drives me insane. There seems to be dozens of ways to accomplish what you want to do but each one has a road block of some sort. Everyone can tell you how to do it but words do not quite do the job. I almost always wind of taking the parts to a store that is NOT a borg or chain hardware store. and having them sell me the parts I need. An alternative of course is to find the parts diagram and buy the parts from the source.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Based upon picture, turn off valve, disconnect supply tubing, then remove fitting between valve and tubing. Take it with you to hwd store and buy a BRASS street elbow in the size needed. Screw in street elbow into valve, using teflon plumbing paste. Don't use tape as it could cause vale to not seat correctly. Screw adapter into elbow and add new line. Bruce Wrenn, P-1 Plumbing licensee in a previous lifetime.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Based upon picture, turn off valve, disconnect supply tubing, then remove fitting between valve and tubing. Take it with you to hwd store and buy a BRASS street elbow in the size needed. Screw in street elbow into valve, using teflon plumbing paste. Don't use tape as it could cause vale to not seat correctly. Screw adapter into elbow and add new line. Bruce Wrenn, P-1 Plumbing licensee in a previous lifetime.

That's a good summary of the majority opinion. I will comply!

[Mark Bolton]

You'll never find a female compression anything. Snap a photo and post it here and I'll guarantee you your making things more difficult.

[Tom Stenzel]

Compression fittings are all female, with the line, nut and compression ring being the male part.


You'll never find a female compression anything. Snap a photo and post it here and I'll guarantee you your making things more difficult.

Looks like we have a difference of opinion!

The the tube that's being connected goes inside the compression nut, ferrule and the fitting body. To me that makes a compression fitting the female portion. So I have to side with Bruce on this.

Mark, why would you say it isn't female? Is it male or do you use a different terminology from another trade?

-Tom

[Mark Bolton]

What it sounds like the OP is looking for is a fitting with a female side that will thread onto a compression fitting without a nut or ferrule on it.

A compression fitting with a nut and ferrule is not "female" because the tubing slides into the nut and ferrule. Male and female doesn't apply to that connection.

There is no such fitting with a female side that will thread onto the threads where the compression nut threads onto.

If the OP is trying to make a 180 degree turn out of the icemaker solenoid to head to the back of the fridge that would be done with a 1/4" brass street ell and the 1/4" male x compression ell that's in the solenoid.

A simple photograph of the application from under his fridge and a markup of what is trying go be done would save all this foolishness.

[Mike Cutler]

I've been to local hardware stores and, according to the staff, they don't stock the elbow I want. I didn't find one when I looked myself.

In case my question still isn't clear, here is a photo. The copper line will be replaced by the braided line, but the braided line has a burst protector on the end, so it can't make the right angle turn to go from the valve up the wall.392829


Stephen
You're making this hard on your self.
the braided line will have some "type" of compression fitting. The manufacturer of that hose will have that "type" of compression fitting to an NPT adapter. This NPT adapter can come in many configurations, but the bottom line is to remove all of the fittings between the valve and the copper tube. That looks like a 3/8" valve in the photo. Find the corresponding elbow that looks like the one on the left in Lee's reply. You need to match one side to the NPT of the valve,and the other side to the braided hose compression to NPT adapter. That's it. The reason you want to do this is two fold;
Galvanic corrosion. Brass to stainless tubing fittings can "react", so an NPT fitting is used as the transition between the two materials.
NPT fittings are cheap and easy to make up. Compression fittings are not. For long term repair and serviceability, use the NPT transition fittings as the sacrificial component

Compression fitting have a "Tube end" and a "Port" end. This would be the female male that every one is referring to. Pipe fittings are MIP and FIP. NPT fittings are MNPT and FNPT.
I have installed thousands and thousands of fittings, from virtually every tubing fitting manufacturer in the US. From 30" hg to 35,000 psi. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

[Mark Bolton]

Didn't see the photo at the ball valve. Looks like a 1/2 male npt to 1/4" compression adapter. Shut the valve, remove the adapter and put a 1/2" npt street elbow in there and put the adapter in the street ell. Your compression fitting will be pointing up where you want it. Adjust any sizes for actual sizes.

[Marc Jeske]

Way overcomplicated.

Do like Mark says above.

Just plain turn the piping upwards w a basic steel galv 90, street, or regular, whatever is easiest/ most appropriate.

Available at ANY hardware store for $1.. and re use everything else.

No fancy brass whatever needed.

Done.

Marc

[Tim Bridge]

Pretty soon the PC police will come after the trades and the male/female terminology.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Ok, the revised plumbing is shown in the photo.

392926However, the joint at the upper end of the new elbow has a slow leak no matter how I tighten the fitting. Next I'll try replacing the reducer.

[Mike Cutler]

Stephen
Sometimes the "dope" used won't fill the machining voids in fittings consistently.
If you can get ahold of some Rector Seal, you could try that. It does have a cure time though, so you will need to leave that fitting dry and unpressurized for a period of time.
There are also epoxy thread sealants, bit you would be better off buying two new fittings and doing it over.
Don't over tighten brass NPT fittings. It can damage them, "stretch the threads", and they will begin to leak from over tightening.
I've found that the white teflon tape sold lately is garbage. I've been using the yellow tape for gas fittings. It seems to work much better than what I can get locally

[Bruce Wrenn]

Way overcomplicated.

Do like Mark says above.

Just plain turn the piping upwards w a basic steel galv 90, street, or regular, whatever is easiest/ most appropriate.

Available at ANY hardware store for $1.. and re use everything else.

No fancy brass whatever needed.

Done.

MarcNow you have introduced two sources of galvanic reaction, at both ends where the galvanized elbow meets the brass valve and brass adapter. The elbow may be galvanized, the threads aren't. That's why I recommended to use brass elbow. Bruce Wrenn P-1 Plumbing licensee in a previous lifetime

[Mark Bolton]

The leak at the thread is likely the cause of our unfortunate ability to only purchase junk fittings sourced from greedy U.S. capitalists who force them to make fittings at a grossly inferior standard. This happens all the time with black iron gas fittings, plumbing, brass, galvanized, and so on. NPT threads are exactly that "NATIONAL PIPE TAPER". Its not uncommon for home center fittings to never tighten up on the taper. The taper is what seals the thread. Not the thread. I cant count the times Ive seen home center fittings completely bottom out before ever sealing. A fitting with a hex on it will thread it until the hex bottoms out against the shoulder of the mating fitting and will STILL leak. So then you back it all the way out, apply several more wraps of tape, some compound, and try again.

We as utter idiots have sold our souls to the devil. A taper pipe connection should seal with three to four threads remaining. These home center threads never even come close.

Congratulations folks. Here we are.

[Marc Jeske]

Now you have introduced two sources of galvanic reaction, at both ends where the galvanized elbow meets the brass valve and brass adapter. The elbow may be galvanized, the threads aren't. That's why I recommended to use brass elbow. Bruce Wrenn P-1 Plumbing licensee in a previous lifetime

So, all the hundreds of times over the years I have seen brass connected to galvanized.. is bad?

How to do it otherwise ?

Plumb every lineal inch in brass or copper or plastic?

If one transition spot is OK, why are two bad ?

Many old homes used Galv.. are transitions not commonplace?

Even if transitioning is not perfect, or not acceptable for critical applications..Jet fighters,Particle accelerators, Space stations.. is it not totally fine and acceptable for a residence ice maker line w/o any Code conflict?

I am only asking because you brought it up... sounding like he did a bad bad thing that wil keep him awake now.

Marc

[Marc Jeske]

I am not a Plumber, former licensed Master Elect,.. But it seems to me from all I do know Stephen handled the job well.



Marc

[Lee DeRaud]

"The Curmudgeon runs strong in this thread, young Skywalker."

[Bruce Wrenn]

So, all the hundreds of times over the years I have seen brass connected to galvanized.. is bad?

How to do it otherwise ?

Plumb every lineal inch in brass or copper or plastic?

If one transition spot is OK, why are two bad ?

Many old homes used Galv.. are transitions not commonplace?

Even if transitioning is not perfect, or not acceptable for critical applications..Jet fighters,Particle accelerators, Space stations.. is it not totally fine and acceptable for a residence ice maker line w/o any Code conflict?

I am only asking because you brought it up... sounding like he did a bad bad thing that wil keep him awake now.

MarcMarc, around here you won't get an inspector to sign off on mixing brass and steel in new work. Anything that has galvanized pipes is so old (copper, and then plastic has been the standard for more than 50 years,)that most likely they have developed so many leaks, that anything that can be done to salvage them is done, just not inspected. Only place we see galvanized is the heat traps for water heaters.

[Stephen Tashiro]

An update on the situation. The connection at the top of the street elbow, which had a tiny leak, was re-done using Hercules blue Block after the threads were cleaned of the PTFE sealant that came in a tube. That connection stopped leaking. However, the connection at the other end of the elbow developed a tiny leak. After that connection was also re-done using Hercules blue Block, it stopped leaking.

I think the basic layout of the plumbing invites problems. The connection to the ice maker line is near the end of the cold water supply to the hot water heater. That connection gets warm unless hot water is used. When hot water is used, it gets cold. So there is continual expansion and contraction going on.

[Lee Schierer]

I think the basic layout of the plumbing invites problems. The connection to the ice maker line is near the end of the cold water supply to the hot water heater. That connection gets warm unless hot water is used. When hot water is used, it gets cold. So there is continual expansion and contraction going on.

They make check valves that go in the water lines to the water heater that will help prevent that heating problem.