By Sheila Anthony
What Are Quick-Connect Fittings?
These small, yet mighty, connectors make installing your cooler or filtration system quick and easy. They’re also known as push-connect fittings because that’s pretty much how they work: you push the tubing into the fitting to connect the system. No need to reach for a wrench or twist hex nuts.
Quick-connect fittings are included with all Brio water coolers and filtration systems that use them. Here’s an enlarged line drawing of one:
Potential Problems, aka What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
The biggest problem you may encounter when using a quick-connect system won’t be with the fitting; it will be with the tubing. It is crucial that the end of the tubing be straight up and down with no nicks, burrs, or rough areas. When inserted correctly, the tubing sits flush against the back of the fitting, and any rough spots can damage the fitting or impair the connection, both of which can result in a water leak.
Brio water coolers and filtration systems come with a convenient tube cutter that makes achieving a clean cut easy. You can use a sharp knife, but it’s just not as efficient or consistently reliable.
Correct and Incorrect Installation
To install the tubing correctly, insert it into the quick-connect fitting, passing it through the collet opening. Thread it past the stainless steel spider teeth and O-ring, and push it in until it sits cleanly against the tube stop at the back of the fitting. If done correctly, you should’ve inserted the tubing approximately 0.75 inches.
The spider teeth hold the tubing in place and the O-ring provides a water-tight seal. Ninety percent of tubing leaks are caused by not pushing the tubing in far enough (see “Incorrect Installation” above). After you’ve inserted the tubing, give it a gentle tug to make sure it’s snuggly and securely connected.
If you think you’ve installed the tubing incorrectly, or if you wish to replace the tubing, here’s how to remove it.
ALWAYS make sure the cooler or appliance is unplugged, the source water has been turned off, and you’ve released the water pressure from the system by draining the water. If you don’t follow these steps first, you may find yourself in a puddle of water. All joking aside, this can be quite dangerous if you haven’t unplugged the system.
To release the tubing from the quick-connect fitting, you need to release the grip of the spider teeth. Use your fingers to push in the collet. This disengages the spider teeth. With the collet pressed in, pull the tubing out.
That’s it! Glad you were along for the read. Please head over to Brio bottleless coolers. We offer premium-quality standalone and countertop designs that come with a selection of filtration choices that work for your life at home, at the office, and, yes, in your home office too.
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