Making an ‘old work’ ice maker box

[DGersic]

I need an in-wall ice maker valve box. Everything on the market is intended for new construction, pre sheetrock, and is stud mounted. I need something like an “old work” electrical box that I can cut in where I need it to go, without having to cut all the way to the studs and fix the resulting mess of sheetrock.

I’ve found several other web forum postings with people looking for this, so it’s not a new original idea, but there aren’t any answers out there. Hopefully the next guy searching for it finds this thread.

I started with this in-wall box with valve and anti hammer.

 

[DGersic]

I cut the top and bottom off a cheap old work box from Menards.



My first thought was to put the old work mechanism where the mounting tabs are on the box. It could be done, but the front face plate isn’t quite big enough to cover them this way.





Trimming down the tabs to fit behind the face plate would work, if you’re so inclined.

 

[PoorUB]

If it were me, I would use the box you pictured, cut off the four ears, cut a hole just big enough to slip inplace. Connect the PEX and caulk it on the backside of the flange and shove it into the hole. Block something against it for a day until the caulk dries .

 

[DGersic]

Instead of the sides, the top and bottom have a bit more clearance. Just enough.



I cut out a valve mounting hole with a 1” hole saw. That’s slightly too big, but I don’t have a 7/8” hole saw. Clearance for the valve mounting ring was done with a Dremel sanding drum,



Side ears removed.

 

[DGersic]

Four 1/8” holes, four rivets, and the old work tabs are mounted to the box.


Now to install it and finish off this part of the plumbing project.

 

[DGersic]

If it were me, I would use the box you pictured, cut off the four ears, cut a hole just big enough to slip inplace. Connect the PEX and caulk it on the backside of the flange and shove it into the hole. Block something against it for a day until the caulk dries .

What fun would that be?

If I had a 3D printer, I’d make the whole box. Nobody but me will ever see this, but it makes me happy.

 

[PoorUB]

What fun would that be?

I guess I missed that it was supposed to be fun!

I just like getting it done!

 

[dfiler2]

Great job, nice way to solve the problem.

 

[In The Doghouse]

I need to remove the old ice-maker valve (the garden hose thread type with 1/2" copper pipe) and install a new 1/4" outlet valve routed from the crawlspace with Pex tubing. I'll have to cut & pry the old box out of there and deal with removing the copper pipe, then replace the box after running and crimping the Pex. But as @DGersic stated, there seems to be only the new construction boxes with tabs to fasten to the wall studs.

I see this as a viable option if a post-built wall-box isn't available. Does anyone have a better idea?

 

[Fav Onefour]

The box is pretty cool. I can see why there aren't options being made. It's generally pretty tough to flex and stuff plumbing.

I have dealt with dozens of those fridge water lines and I've yet to see one done with a box. Most of them have a shutoff valve at the main line connection with the 1/4" snaked up to the fridge. The main water line connections are usually done in basement ceilings. Not sure if that's a regional thing?

 

[DGersic]

The box is pretty cool. I can see why there aren't options being made. It's generally pretty tough to flex and stuff plumbing.

I have dealt with dozens of those fridge water lines and I've yet to see one done with a box. Most of them have a shutoff valve at the main line connection with the 1/4" snaked up to the fridge. The main water line connections are usually done in basement ceilings. Not sure if that's a regional thing?

There are probably many ways to cut nnect the water to the fridge and route the line. Just so long as it’s nearly routed, it’s all good.

 

[manwithtools]

The main water line connections are usually done in basement ceilings. Not sure if that's a regional thing?

Very regional. What if the house is on a slab?

 

[rlitman]

I made two of these for my ice makers using 2-gang electrical boxes when I couldn't source something pre-made. My only advice is to orient the outlet at 45 degrees, not straight out. Straight out is how you kink the line when you slide the fridge back.

 

[Fav Onefour]

Very regional. What if the house is on a slab?

I assumed it was because we already have basements. It's pretty rare to find slab built homes around this area. In fact, it's hard to find a plain ol one story home. We had a long phase of home building that favored split level style. Suburbs are saturated with them. Those homes don't really make sense. We already have to dig pretty deep holes for frost footings. The first level ends up with a crawl space instead of usable basement. When those homes were built, the space could have been a basement for around $3-5K.