Tiny plumbing question...

[Mr. Sandman]

My copper supply line to the refrigerators ice maker/water dispenser has a pinhole leak. The supply line is a copper tube..looks like 3/16 or 1/4" tubing so. It is rather long tube and I would be a pain to replace the entire thing. Is there a way to repair a copper tube pinhole leak?

soldier it? patch it with epoxy puddy? replace it?

[derf]

a quick easy fix ; a small radiator hose and a piece of inner tube ..
i got one like that patched for more years than i care to think about ..

[Raven]

derf i think you left the word clamp out of your reply

i would wrap it first with Teflon tape with the water pressure
to it turned off first then take the piece of slightly larger fuel line
or even plastic hose slit down one side and clamp it...

but i have also seen some new stuff
some kind of spray

that stops pin hole leaks dead in there tracks
instantly

the other method is to just cut the copper tubing
exactly on the pin hole and buy a little kit
that joins that size tubing together
with compression fittings that require
no soldering what so ever

[jbuck]

At the pin hole cut the tubing and repair it with a 1/4 " compression coupling.

[Fishpart]

I like the compression fitting method, but be aware the tubing material is will probably have more holes appear out of no where so keep your eye on it.

It can most likely be traced back to impurities in the melt that made the billet the tubing was originally extruded from.

[Mr. Sandman]

When the new refrig was being installed about 4 or 5 years ago, I recall asking the plumber who was putting in the copper line...Why don't you use a plastic tube instead of that copper tube which is difficult to snake under the cabinets and if it kinks or dents you have a problem?...his response was: no respectable plumber uses plastic. I said...WHY NOT? The latest technology in plumbing is not to use copper but run plastic lines through out the entire home, it is faster to install and there is no chemical reaction with elements in the water. Also you can bend plastic and don't need right angles elbows this makes the head loss much less and the water flow quieter. He just looked at me and gave me the evil eye.

While staring at my workbench and not wanting to make a run to the hardware store to get the couplings....I took the band-aid approach that will probably not work but I said what the hell...I put some 5200 marine sealer on in. If this still leaks I will cut the tube and put the coupling,...a mechanical fix is the correct method, I agree.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by jbuck

At the pin hole cut the tubing and repair it with a 1/4 " compression coupling.

Pfft, what do you know about plumbing

Jim,
I agree re; the plastic, our new house has all Pex pipes, all the pro's you listed, PLUS they expand so less likely to burst a pipe...

[RIJIMMY]

I heard RIROCKHOUND has tiny plumbing

[derf]

derf i think you left the word clamp out of your reply

duh ????
ya know the worst part ??
i even previewed the post and read it
glad i'm not a brain surgeon some days ...........

[Backbeach Jake]

Turn the water off. Clean up the repair area with steel wool until shiny new looking. Dab a little flux on it. heat with a torch and dab a little solder on the pin hole. You'll make a nice repair in no time.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Backbeach Jake

Turn the water off. Clean up the repair area with steel wool until shiny new looking. Dab a little flux on it. heat with a torch and dab a little solder on the pin hole. You'll make a nice repair in no time.

Dont forget to disconnect the copper tube from the fridge so the steam can escape.. otherwise, it will never solder.. Not that I am a plumber or anything.. but I have soldered a few pipes in my day.

[Raven]

the other thing ya look for when heating the pipe hot enough
to apply the solder is when it turns a slight green color....

then when you touch the solder there ......it should melt...

have a wet cloth in one hand to wipe it smooth after wards too

[tattoobob]

I would connect a new plastic line to the old copper line and pull out the old copper line then you will have a new line, and your ice will taste a whole lot better,

add a filter if you don't already have one

I would also have my water checked it seems like it is aggressive and is eating away at your pipes.

[Adam_777]

I'd braze it if I was just looking for the cheap easy fix.The right thing is to replace the tube with a new plastic line.One pinhole always leads to more pinholes.Corrosion and Oxidation always win especially with copper.

[5/0]

Compression fitting will be the quickest and easyest way,brazing I wouldnt recomend,because this line is for ice & drinking water,if you are going to solder make sure it has a low silver & lead content older spools kicking around on the work bench may have a high content also try to drain the water feed line the best you can,with water in the line it will be a constant heatsync so turn off the valve I guess located in the basement and losen the compression fitting by the valve put the line in a cup or suspend it over a bucket then go to the fridge and depress the water leaver this should break the vaccum and drain out any water that will escape.

I would go the easy way out get the $3.00 compression fitting cut the line ream out the newly cut line and add the diff.

[Backbeach Jake]

Originally Posted by tattoobob

I would connect a new plastic line to the old copper line and pull out the old copper line then you will have a new line, and your ice will taste a whole lot better,

add a filter if you don't already have one

I would also have my water checked it seems like it is aggressive and is eating away at your pipes.

^^That would be the correct way..