Plumbing Do pipe fittings work with male compression fittings?

[Stephen Tashi]

Does an ordinary pipe fitting, such as an elbow work when screwed onto a male compression fitting"? - or won't the connection seal properly?

The situation shown in the photo: I need to replace a 1/4 inch copper tube water supply line (to the ice maker on a refrigerator) with a 1/4 inch braided line. But the braided line has a burst protector on the end so it can't make the sharp 90 degree turn needed go from the valve up the wall.

The simplest solution would be an elbow, one end with a female connection to fit over the male compression connection at the valve, and the other end with a male compression connection to attach the braided line.

I can't find such a fitting at local hardware stores. Online, I find elbows with with the male compression fitting on one end and a female connection on the other, but I'm not sure the female end is designed to fit over a male compression fitting.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0070TX3EO/?tag=pfamazon01-20

If such an elbow would work then what size female end should I order? The outer diameter of a male "1/4 inch" compression fitting is about 3/8 of an inch.

 

[Averagesupernova]

Obviously there are a number of ways to do it. Simplest would be an elbow as you described but I haven't seen one in hardware stores either and I have done a lot of plumbing. Next would be to replace the valve with a fixture shut-off with male pipe thread one side and the appropriate compression fitting on the other side. They are readily available in right angle configurations. Or, if you don't want to take a chance on having a leak when you remove the existing valve, you could just do the same while leaving the existing valve in place. The brass valve you have there looks like a good quality valve. I doubt it will give trouble for many tears.
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If you are sure the sizes are right, I am sure the fitting you have in the link would work. Compression is a very common way to go with fixtures and fixture shut-offs. I will say that the sizes don't quite seem right to me based on the pic.

 

[Tom.G]

That existing ball valve has a reducer (with pipe threads) attached to it to accept the smaller compression fitting. Replace the reducer with an elbow, followed by whatever is needed to mate with the new braided line.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[jim hardy]

As @Tom.G said, an elbow.
There's a special type made for tight spaces, "Street Elbow".

I recommend use pipe sealant that comes in a tube instead of the Teflon tape we all grew to love..
Since they took the lead out of brass it doesn't seal well anymore with Teflon tape and will likely drip , ruining your cabinet.
https://www.permatex.com/products/thread-compounds/thread-sealants/permatex-thread-sealant-with-ptfe/

BTW - nice job there with that ball valve...

old jim

 

[Stephen Tashi]

I'll heed the unanimous decision and put a street elbow into the non-compression pipes.

However, just out of curiosity, are there any female fittings designed to fit over male compression fittings? - a female connection that doesn't depend on a compression sleeve? Does the male part of a compression fitting have a size or threading different than ordinary pipes?

 

[Averagesupernova]

I'll heed the unanimous decision and put a street elbow into the non-compression pipes.

However, just out of curiosity, are there any female fittings designed to fit over male compression fittings? - a female connection that doesn't depend on a compression sleeve? Does the male part of a compression fitting have a size or threading different than ordinary pipes?

Yes. What is on the end of that braided hose in the pic in your first post fits a male compression without actually compressing any pipe with a compression sleeve. There is a rubber seal inside end of the braided hose that seals up against the male compression fitting in the fixture shut-off valve that would typically be used. Beyond this I know of none but that is not to say they don't exist.

 

[jim hardy]

Look at the myriad fittings in a good hardware store - it's amazing.