How to Connect an RO System to a Refrigerator Water Dispenser or Ice maker

If you have a refrigerator with a water dispenser and/or ice maker and would like to run the water from your reverse osmosis system (installed under your kitchen sink) to the fridge, you can hire a water treatment specialist to do the install or you can follow these step-by-step instructions to do it yourself.

how to connect reverse osmosis to fridge

  • First, keep in mind that water pressure from the RO system will be about ⅔ the pressure of the cold water line. And there may be specific pressure considerations for some refrigerator requiring you to consult a local water treatment expert.
  • Secondly, before you begin the project, you'll need to acquire an RO Fridge Ice maker Kit based on the size of your tubing. Generally, the tubing is 3/8" or 1/4".

RO Refrigerator Ice maker Kit for 3/8” Tubing to Faucet  The kit includes:

  1. PI301208S Reducing Union Tee 3/8" x 1/4" x 3/8"
  2. PP0408W Union Connector 1/4" x 1/4"
  3. PPSV040808W Inline Ball Valve 1/4" x 1/4"
  4. Tubingblue-14 Blue Tubing 1/4" – 20 ft

RO Refrigerator Ice maker Kit for 1/4” Tubing to Faucet The kit includes:

  1. PP0208W Union Tee 1/4” x 1/4” x 1/4"
  2. PP0408W Union Connector 1/4" x 1/4"
  3. PPSV040808W Inline Ball Valve 1/4" x 1/4"
  4. Tubingblue-14 Blue Tubing 1/4" – 20 ft

Not recommended for applications requiring more than 30 feet of tubing without modifications including tubing larger than ¼” and connectors.

If your refrigerator has copper piping for for the icemaker line, do not connect your RO system to the fridge. Do not use copper piping or fittings with RO treated water.

Hooking Up Your Reverse Osmosis System to Your Refrigerator

Boy drinking water in kitchen with dad behind him

Step-by-Step Instructions for Connecting a Fridge/Ice maker to Reverse Osmosis

  1. Shut off the cold water line coming into your RO system.
  2. Locate the tube that connects your RO system to your RO water faucet.
  3. Place a large bowl or bucket near the RO system below this tube.
  4. Cut the tubing approximately 10 inches from where the tube comes out of the RO system, letting water drain into the bowl or bucket
  5. Install the tee fitting on the tubing connected to the RO system by pushing one of the two aligning ends on to the tubing as far as you can, then pulling lightly to verify tubing is secure.
  6. Install the other end of the aligning Tee fitting into the remaining cut tube connected to the faucet.
  7. Take the new ¼” tubing and cut a 10” piece off.
  8. Insert the 10” piece of tubing into the Tee line, which should be perpendicular to the tubing line going from the RO system to the faucet.
  9. Connect the inline shutoff ball valve into the other end of the 10” tubing.
  10. Connect one end of the the remaining long ¼” tubing to the other end of the shutoff ball valve. This valved should be turned off (pointed perpendicular from the tubing line) until the holding tank is completely filled.
  11. Run the ¼” polypropylene tubing from the reverse osmosis system and connect to the refrigerator. Generally, 20 feet of tubing is enough, but you can run up to 30 feet . If you more than 30 feet of tubing between the RO system and fridge, use a tube larger than ¼” tubing and fittings for best results.
  12. Connect the tubing to the refrigerator/ice maker using a ¼” x ¼” union if necessary.
  13. Be sure you have the recommended water pressure to your ice maker according to the refrigerator manufacturer.
  14. When it is time to change your RO filters, shut off the inline valve until the filter change is complete and the system has been thoroughly flushed.