Need Help With Kitchen Water Supply

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drjay9051

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I'll try to make this simple. Kitchen cabinets being replaced in a couple of weeks. I had a slight leak at one of the shut off valves for sink. They are sweated connections, copper pipe. They are 1/2 and then 3/8 at the compression fitting end. The lines come into the house about 5 feet from sink and the former homeowner used lengths of braided steel line to supply faucet. I just replaced the old shut off valves with quarter turn shark Bite angle stops. these are 1/2 inch with 3/8 compression fittings. In essence I replaced like with like hoping to keep it simple.


I attached the braided lines to the Shark bite fittings with no problem. I now have water and no leak !

Here is where my confusion arises. I do not like the long run of braided hoses. Besides I need to install a couple of T fittings for icemaker and dishwasher which are new items in this home. If no dishwasher or ice maker I'd be done with this project!!

I want to run PEX or CPVC from the shut off valves along the base of cabinets and use T setup for new icemaker and dishwasher. I see shark bite has the proper size T (1/4 in for icemaker and 3/8 for dishwasher.).

However, these T connections are only available in 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/4 for the icemaker and 1/2 x1/2 x 3/8 for the dishwasher. They do not come as 3/8 x3/8 so aside from not being able to find tubing to fit the new angle stop valve it looks like I really need to switch out the angle stop for 1/2 at supply x 1/2 at compression end or I won't be able to put in the T connectors I need.

What am I missing here? As I understand it 3/8 may refer to either OD or ID depending on the type of tubing? I tried every size of PEX and CPVC I could find at the big box store. I do not want copper as I will need to make a turn or two.

What is a simple solution for this issue? Is it best to switch out the angle stop valves with 1/2 x 1/2? If so what size PEX and/or CPVC will fit ? The help at the store was more confused than I.
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Lastly, why does supply to sink seem to be 1/2 to 3/8 and back to 1/2. Why didn't the former homeowner just keep all 1/2. I am new to plumbing and really need help on this.

The Shark Bites are way easier than sweating a connection but compatibility seems to be an issue even though Shark Bite says it will work with PEX and CPVC.
 

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