Replacing Ice Maker Line To Residential Refridge

[Nuclearcowboy]

I have a Bighorn 3970RD and want to replace my ice maker line with a more durable SS braided supply line. I keep hearing that I need a 25' line but that seems pretty long - I'm thinking more like 20'. I don't want to pull the old line to check the length in case I need it to fish the new line through.

I've also heard that some of these lines can leave a 'garden hose taste' in your ice or filtered water dispenser.

Can anyone share their experiences with this effort? It would be much appreciated.

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Well in my opinion I'd say to long is better then to short.!!!!
We haven't noticed a hose taste but we do drink mostly bottled water.
I'm sure each RV floor plan is different for the length of line needed.. maybe 20' is more then enough for your rig.

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[Piperflyer]

The fun part is going to be trying to replace the line. What a nightmare....

 

[jbeletti]

Nick,

I too have heard about the "hose" taste when using the SS braid icemaker lines. But I have never experienced it and I changed mine RV icemaker line out to SS. I have the same in my home.

 

[asherwin]

Jim, any tips on making the change stress free? I am also considering swapping out the ice maker line and would appreciate any info.

 

[57chevyconvt]

I replaced my ice maker hose with a reinforced poly hose purchased from Lowe's as an ice maker hose for residential applications. I ended up with surplus length, but coiled the extra length and secured with tie-wraps. Lowe's or Home Depot sells these ice maker hoses as a plain reinforce poly hose or a poly hose with braided stainless for reinforcement/external protection. I use the existing polyethylene 1/4" hose to pull the new hose from the supply source to the ice maker. I have a Big Horn 3410RE, the refrigerator is not in a slide, therefore the replacement was not that big of a job.

 

[jbeletti]

Jim, any tips on making the change stress free? I am also considering swapping out the ice maker line and would appreciate any info.

I had part of my underbelly down as I was working on multiple projects at the same time. So my line replacement was stress-free.

I did have one complication and that was that I wanted to reroute the line as to where it came through the frame to get it closer to where it goes up into the slide floor. For me, this meant less line exposure to the outside. To do this, I used a step drill bit to drill a new hole in another frame location.

That said, Jerrod replaced his poly line and used it to pull in the new SS line. No guarantee that will always work. Bear in mind too that the SS line is pre-connectorized and may or may not fit through the existing hole in the frame.

 

[Bohemian]

Anybody thought about insulating it while you are doing the job?

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

Nick,

I too have heard about the "hose" taste when using the SS braid icemaker lines. But I have never experienced it and I changed mine RV icemaker line out to SS. I have the same in my home.

Thanks Jim. Guess I'll find out after changing it out. I'm also kicking around the idea of permanently abandoning that line and going with a portable ice maker, since we normally drink bottled water anyway. May not be worth changing out.

 

[jbeletti]

Thanks Jim. Guess I'll find out after changing it out. I'm also kicking around the idea of permanently abandoning that line and going with a portable ice maker, since we normally drink bottled water anyway. May not be worth changing out.

Nick - yeah, if you normally drink bottled water, it might not make sense to use ice cubes made with unfiltered CG water.

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

Thanks to all for your suggestions and your input. Sounds like it will be fun.

 

[jbeletti]

Anybody thought about insulating it while you are doing the job?

I think I saw or heard of a member using small diameter pipe insulation on the ice maker line.

I've kicked around the idea of tracing my SS braid line with a heat tape and insulating it but I'm unsure how warm it will be and the affect the heat will have on the taste of the water in the rubber line inside the SS braid. Plus, it will get really big really fast with the SS line, the heat tape and insulation

This all said, get this... We used jug water (for all needs) for the first 3 days of our winter travel as the coach was winterized when we left home in 5F weather. Once I dewinterized, we left the ice maker line (SS braid) pressurized for nearly 3 months. During that 3 month period, many evenings, we saw temps in the 20s. No frozen ice maker line! Now, could I have gone down to low 20s or colder for several days in a row? Doubt it. But my point is that it "appears" that the SS line afforded a "bit" more insulation than the poly line. That "and" I relocated where the line came out of the frame to minimize the length of the exposed run.

 

[bsummit]

After 3 leaks I replaced mine with pex ice maker line. No problems after that.

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[jbeletti]

After 3 leaks I replaced mine with pex ice maker line. No problems after that.

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Billy - I see your refer is in a slide. How do you use PEX line coming out of the frame and up into the slide floor?

 

[bsummit]

Billy - I see your refer is in a slide. How do you use PEX line coming out of the frame and up into the slide floor?

Jim, I ran it thru the frame where the plastic valve use to be, then under the slide along with the gas line and up to the back of the fridge. I used 15 ft. of line. By placing a coupler on the end of the pex I was able to pull new line with the old line thru the belly and up to the shutoff valve under the kitchen sink.

 

[Piperflyer]

I just replaced my water supply line to my residential refrigerator after it sprung a leak because of the shoddy workmanship done at the factory; when it was installed. Instead of cutting a nice hole for the line to pass through behind the drawers, they just smashed a hole through the wood partitions with a hammer and left the jagged edges to wear on the supply line. Really Heartland, you need some better quality control. You cost me 3.5 hours for the 5 minutes it would of took to make the access holes the right way.

 

[bsummit]

I just replaced my water supply line to my residential refrigerator after it sprung a leak because of the shoddy workmanship done at the factory; when it was installed. Instead of cutting a nice hole for the line to pass through behind the drawers, they just smashed a hole through the wood partitions with a hammer and left the jagged edges to wear on the supply line. Really Heartland, you need some better quality control. You cost me 3.5 hours for the 5 minutes it would of took to make the access holes the right way.

The pex line I used is flexable and is made for ice makers. I did insulate it with foam under the slide.

 

[fancydancer2]

After 3 leaks I replaced mine with pex ice maker line. No problems after that.

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WHere does the ice maker line connect to the water supply. Have had numerous leaks in cheap line used by Heartland and now will replace entire line.

 

[danemayer]

Where does the ice maker line connect to the water supply?

Hi fancydancer2,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.

We need a little more information in order to help you locate the connection as it has varied over the years and varies by model, etc. What trailer do you have; i.e. Bighorn, Landmark, etc.? What year? What floor plan? Is it a residential refrigerator or a Norcold or Dometic gas absorption unit?