Hooking up my humidifier

[Bakechad]

With the help of my brother-in-law I recently replaced my hot water heater. There was a saddle valve for the humidifier hooked to cold line right above the hot water heater. He removed the saddle valve, replaced the pipe, soldered a tee fitting and put on a compression valve.

At the time we did not reconnect the humidifier because the copper tubing was too short and it was 2 AM. I looked at it tonight and noticed the new valve is larger than the copper tubing that is hooked to the humidifier. I believe the tubing is ¼†and the valve is either 3/8†or 1/2â€. Is there a way for me to hook the 1/4†tubing to this valve or do I need to replace the valve?

Thanks

Chad

 

[Jimbo]

If the valve outlet is 3/8 compression, the most reliable way is to attach a foot or so of 3/8 tubing to the valve, then use a 3/8 X 1/4 compression coupling.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mikey]

If the 3/8" valve is compression-fitted to the copper piping, it's very easy to replace it with a 1/4" valve. I'd probably do that before splicing in a short length of 3/8.

 

[Dunbar Plumbing]

They make a 3/8" compression to 1/4" brass fitting that will convert. They run about $2 at the big box stores in their brass fitting pegboards. (3 supply houses I checked don't sell it. They make more on the specialized valve..usually $5 a valve and up)

I bought as many I could get my hands on, put them all in a little bag and now I can use them on angles/straights/threaded or sweat valves I have..

.


I wish I would of known about these fittings years ago.....could of saved me a ton of money and frustration when encountering the issue of 1/4" line connections.