Connecting 1/2 FIP to 3/8 Angle Stop

[SAS]

I am re-installing a bidet toilet seat in our new home. It has a t-valve that is meant to be connected to the angle stop. Here's what it looks like:

In our previous home, the female 1/2 inlet attached directly to the stop valve, but this house has a stop valve with a 3/8 compression outlet. Is there a fitting that I can attach to the stop valve that would allow me to directly connect this t-valve to the stop valve? Am I correct in assuming that what I need is a female 3/8 compression to 1/2 male pipe fitting? I do have it connected with a bit of a messy work-around. I have a short supply hose with a 3/8 female compression fitting on one end and a 1/2 female pipe connection on the other. I connected the hose to the t-valve using a 1/2 brass nipple. As a result, I have a bunch of hoses lying on the floor next to the stop valve. Ideally, there would be an adapter that would sit between the stop valve and the t-valve - but I can't find one.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

If you had purchased a Toto bidet seat they supply a tee that attaches to the toilet tank and uses your existing supply line connection to the bottom of the tee. Their splitter then accepts the 1/2 straight threads that the hose from the bidet uses.. Fortunately you can purchase that tee from many suppliers. Also looks like Brondel makes a similar style tee in brass construction.

Toto Tee

Brondell Tee

Or you could replace the stop valve with one that has 1/2 threads on it.. and that provided splitter would go between the valve and the New 1/2x7/8 supply hose.

The cheap knock off amazon bidets always come with weird connectors that don't fit 99% of US application..

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

but this house has a stop valve with a 3/8 compression outlet. Is there a fitting that I can attach to the stop valve that would allow me to directly connect this t-valve to the stop valve? Am I correct in assuming that what I need is a female 3/8 compression to 1/2 male pipe fitting? I do have it connected with a bit of a messy work-around. I have a short supply hose with a 3/8 female compression fitting on one end and a 1/2 female pipe connection on the other. I connected the hose to the t-valve using a 1/2 brass nipple. As a result, I have a bunch of hoses lying on the floor next to the stop valve. Ideally, there would be an adapter that would sit between the stop valve and the t-valve - but I can't find one.

How about a shorter supply line? This one is 9 inches: https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...441-c-9413.htm?tid=4422472554464211673&ipos=1

 

[Terry]

You can go short sometimes. I like to use a 20" which makes for a nice sweeping bend.

 

[SAS]

If you had purchased a Toto bidet seat they supply a tee that attaches to the toilet tank and uses your existing supply line connection to the bottom of the tee. Their splitter then accepts the 1/2 straight threads that the hose from the bidet uses.. Fortunately you can purchase that tee from many suppliers. Also looks like Brondel makes a similar style tee in brass construction.

Toto Tee

Brondell Tee

Or you could replace the stop valve with one that has 1/2 threads on it.. and that provided splitter would go between the valve and the New 1/2x7/8 supply hose.

The cheap knock off amazon bidets always come with weird connectors that don't fit 99% of US application..

I have a BioBidet model, and I think it came with a 3/8 adapter, but I had installed the bidet at our former house where I didn't need that adapter and now it is long gone. I called BioBidet but they no longer use a t-valve that is installed on the supply valve; they use one like the Brondell you displayed above that attaches to the toilet fill valve. As a result they no longer carry those adapters. I guess I'll just replace the t-valve with one like that Brondell. I'll also have to buy a 3/8 by 7/8 toilet supply line, but it won't be all that expensive for those two items. It just seemed as if it would be simple and cheap if I could just find an adapter that would allow me to connect the 1/2 inch female inlet of the existing t-valve to a 3/8 compression stop valve. I'm really surprised that there doesn't seem to be one available anywhere.

 

[Terry]

I would bet that Home Depot has what you want in the plumbing parts section.

 

[wwhitney]

an adapter that would allow me to connect the 1/2 inch female inlet of the existing t-valve to a 3/8 compression stop valve. I'm really surprised that there doesn't seem to be one available anywhere.

You can use a 3/8" compression x 1/2" MIP adapter plus a short length of 3/8" OD tubing. But for an adapter that would go directly on the valve, you'd need a so called 3/8" female compression connection, which are mostly just on supply lines. The tee at the toilet fill valve seems a better solution.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Reach4]

It just seemed as if it would be simple and cheap if I could just find an adapter that would allow me to connect the 1/2 inch female inlet of the existing t-valve to a 3/8 compression stop valve. I'm really surprised that there doesn't seem to be one available anywhere.

What would what you are looking for look like? 1/2 inch MIP on one end.

How about https://www.supplyhouse.com/Jones-S...Chrome-Plated-Compression-Connector-Lead-Free ?
You could then run chromed tubing between that adapter and the stop valve.

A 1/2 inch nipple would let you use a connector with a 1/2 inch FIP end. Do you feel confident the thread is 1/2 inch FIP, instead of a European thread? I expect a nipple could be had in chrome too.

So what are you picturing?

 

[SAS]

What would what you are looking for look like? 1/2 inch MIP on one end.

How about https://www.supplyhouse.com/Jones-S...Chrome-Plated-Compression-Connector-Lead-Free ?
You could then run chromed tubing between that adapter and the stop valve.

A 1/2 inch nipple would let you use a connector with a 1/2 inch FIP end. Do you feel confident the thread is 1/2 inch FIP, instead of a European thread? I expect a nipple could be had in chrome too.

So what are you picturing?

What I was hoping to find was a bushing that had a 1/2 mip thread to fit into the female t-valve and a 3/8 female compression thread to fit on the stop valve. It would look like this, but the 3/8 threads would be compression not fip.

JMF Company 1/2 in. MPT X 3/8 in. D FPT Brass Pipe Face Bushing Mfr# 4504874 - Ace Hardware

Founded in 1947, JMF Company has grown to be a leader in the U.S. rough plumbing and HVAC wholesale supply industry. Major product categories include line sets, copper tube, copper fittings, valves, brass and malleable fittings, PEX tube, fittings and tools, water and gas connectors and...

www.acehardware.com

 

[Reach4]

You would like to connect the stop valve directly to the bushing, or would you like the bushing to connect to a flex connector that would connect to a 3/8 stop valve some distance away?

If some distance, how about https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fluidma...Supply-Connector-3-8-x-3-8-Compression-Thread combined with https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bluefin...1-2-MIP-Brass-Compression-Connector-Lead-Free OR https://www.supplyhouse.com/Jones-S...Chrome-Plated-Compression-Connector-Lead-Free

Be sure your tee is not G1/2 rather than FIP/NPT/FNPT. https://www.valvesonline.com.au/references/threads/ has dimensions on each.

 

[SAS]

You would like to connect the stop valve directly to the bushing, or would you like the bushing to connect to a flex connector that would connect to a 3/8 stop valve some distance away?

If some distance, how about https://www.supplyhouse.com/Fluidma...Supply-Connector-3-8-x-3-8-Compression-Thread combined with https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bluefin...1-2-MIP-Brass-Compression-Connector-Lead-Free OR https://www.supplyhouse.com/Jones-S...Chrome-Plated-Compression-Connector-Lead-Free

Be sure your tee is not G1/2 rather than FIP/NPT/FNPT. https://www.valvesonline.com.au/references/threads/ has dimensions on each.

Thanks, I thought about using two fittings, but I actually found an adapter that is 3/8 compression female on one side and 1/2 mpt on the other at Ace Hardware.

JMF Company 1/2 in. MPT X 3/8 in. D Female Compression Chrome Compression Adapter Mfr# 4338489 - Ace Hardware

Alternate packaged ACE # 4337820Find the CMP ADAPTR 1/2X3/8 CH at Ace.

www.acehardware.com

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

OK.. I couldn't come up with the correct google search term on Friday.. I was looking for "Stack On Tee" But entered "Add A Tee" today and came up with a few items that could work if you still wanted to go the route of adding a tee to the valve, rather than adding the tee to the tank.

Butt seriously... Just use the Tee that connects to the tank. You will have a much simpler and cleaner looking installation. Choose the Easy Button!

FYI. Most splitter tees used to stack onto angle stop valves are meant to split to 2 of the same size or smaller. Not generally for adding a splitter for a larger size.

 

[SAS]

OK.. I couldn't come up with the correct google search term on Friday.. I was looking for "Stack On Tee" But entered "Add A Tee" today and came up with a few items that could work if you still wanted to go the route of adding a tee to the valve, rather than adding the tee to the tank.
View attachment 85539

Butt seriously... Just use the Tee that connects to the tank. You will have a much simpler and cleaner looking installation. Choose the Easy Button!

FYI. Most splitter tees used to stack onto angle stop valves are meant to split to 2 of the same size or smaller. Not generally for adding a splitter for a larger size.

As it turns out, the folks at BioBidet got back to me to let me know that they found some of the adapters and would send me one at no charge. (They no longer use the 1/2 inch tee that goes on the supply valve, which is why they don't routinely stock the adapters any more). It was a very simple install once I had the adapter, and everything is now neatly connected. Since I had a workaround in place with an extra hose and a 1/2 to 1/2 inch nipple connector, I could leave the hose from the tee to the toilet and the one to the bidet as they were, connected to the tee, and I just had to put the adapter on the valve and add the tee to the adapter. Two connections, less than 15 minutes and no cost!

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Glad that worked out for you. Could you post a picture of the finished installation for future use?

 

[John Gayewski]

Thanks, I thought about using two fittings, but I actually found an adapter that is 3/8 compression female on one side and 1/2 mpt on the other at Ace Hardware.

JMF Company 1/2 in. MPT X 3/8 in. D Female Compression Chrome Compression Adapter Mfr# 4338489 - Ace Hardware

Alternate packaged ACE # 4337820Find the CMP ADAPTR 1/2X3/8 CH at Ace.

www.acehardware.com

Let us know how that adapter works. I bet it leaks. I could be wrong but I think there's a rubber washer inside of the female compression side. That washer will get destroyed if your not careful and it likley won't stay tight.

I'm an curious about that adapter though. Let us know.

 

[SAS]

Glad that worked out for you. Could you post a picture of the finished installation for future use?

 

[SAS]

Let us know how that adapter works. I bet it leaks. I could be wrong but I think there's a rubber washer inside of the female compression side. That washer will get destroyed if your not careful and it likley won't stay tight.

I'm an curious about that adapter though. Let us know.

The adapter seems to work fine. The one I used was sent to me by BioBidet but looks just like the one from Ace Hardware. Like a 3/8 supply hose, it has a washer, but it was easy to connect to the valve. I used some Megaloc on the male threads, even though most folks say not to, hand tightened the adapter and then gave it about 1/4 turn with a pair of Channelocks. I then followed the same procedure to attach the tee to the adapter. I opened the valve, and everything works as intended, and nothing leaks.
I'm not sure why you see the washer as a potential problem.

 

[John Gayewski]

The adapter seems to work fine. The one I used was sent to me by BioBidet but looks just like the one from Ace Hardware. Like a 3/8 supply hose, it has a washer, but it was easy to connect to the valve. I used some Megaloc on the male threads, even though most folks say not to, hand tightened the adapter and then gave it about 1/4 turn with a pair of Channelocks. I then followed the same procedure to attach the tee to the adapter. I opened the valve, and everything works as intended, and nothing leaks.
I'm not sure why you see the washer as a potential problem.

Female compression joints are meant to swivel. If the threads won't spin independently of the tee then when that hose is bumped it'll come loose. Give it some time and then let us know.

 

[SAS]

Female compression joints are meant to swivel. If the threads won't spin independently of the tee then when that hose is bumped it'll come loose. Give it some time and then let us know.

I think I see where you're coming from, but I don't think it applies in this case. The nut on the bottom of the tee does spin independently of the tee. If you look at my photo in the earlier post; if I want to reposition where that horizontal hose is pointing, I can grab the tee and turn it without the nut on the bottom of the tee moving. (Actually, If I were trying to move it counterclockwise I would hold the nut just to be sure, but the nut is designed to allow you to rotate the tee without the nut moving.

 

[John Gayewski]

I think I see where you're coming from, but I don't think it applies in this case. The nut on the bottom of the tee does spin independently of the tee. If you look at my photo in the earlier post; if I want to reposition where that horizontal hose is pointing, I can grab the tee and turn it without the nut on the bottom of the tee moving. (Actually, If I were trying to move it counterclockwise I would hold the nut just to be sure, but the nut is designed to allow you to rotate the tee without the nut moving.

Yes you didn't get the adapter you initially wanted. The 1/2" npt x 3/8" female compression from jmf company which is what I was talking about if you look at my comment.