How To Connect Any Keurig To a Water Line!
Have you ever wondered if there was a “better way” to refill your Keurig reservoir? Well, you CAN! Learn how to connect your Keurig brewer to a direct water line and enjoy hassle-free refills each and every time!
To me, refilling something is no big deal….but maybe, in some cases, it could make your life easier, depending on your own situation. Maybe you use that thing more heavily, needing to dispense hot water at odd times of day for food items, or maybe you’re someone who has some physical limitations (like arthritis or wheelchair-bound)
Or perhaps the “Add Water” light coming on persistently (and sometimes reading falsely) is getting to be a pain in you know what. Well, the good news is that some people are figuring this out and hacking the reservoir.
And YOU can, too! So let’s dive in!
Can All Keurig Models Be Hooked Up To a Water Line?
You don’t have to own the Keurig K150 or K155 with the established direct plumbing line to make this work. The Classic, Elite, and Platinum editions can also be hacked with a water refill system! Just about all of them, except the Mini or the Keurig K130 DeskPro, be plumbed. It does require a different set of tools than for the units mentioned earlier.
Doesn’t just have to be a Keurig, either! ANY K-cup brewer (with a reservoir) can be hacked
Warning: There are two important caveats: 1) This does take some legwork, and 2) This process may void the warranty on your Keurig. Now that I’ve established that let’s lay it out there.
Materials List
- A length of 1/4″ poly tubing
- A 3-way 1/4″ brass compression fitting (it is kind of t-shaped)
- A float valve (the kind made for fish aquariums)
- Drill and bit
- A 1/4″ Brass needle shutoff valve with compression fitting
- Sandpaper
- Teflon tape
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How “Hacking the Reservoir” Works
The float valve I found to the left that you will need is one made for aquarium use. It has a similar purpose (and design) to the accessory part by the same name used in your toilet tank. However, it’s a lot smaller.
(It will literally float atop the water in your reservoir, so naturally, it will be small.)
Basically, the operation will be the same -when you brew cups of coffee, the water reservoir will refill back up much like your toilet tank does when it is flushed.
Your modus operandi will be hooking this apparatus up to a water line connecting to another direct water source -your refrigerator. Hopefully, this sounds exciting to you and not too sciency 🙂
Getting Started
First, I’m giving praise and credit to this post by a coffee drinker who has pulled this off like a real pro. A big thank-you to the author for giving me permission to use some of his photos here when I inquired. Plagiarism is not cool (and dishonest), so I paraphrased the major points.
First, determine the place of the water hookup – Behind the refrigerator seems like the obvious choice, but there are other options. It will all depend on your situation. and whatever room you use the brewer the most.
Looking behind your refrigerator, you should see your water line easily. The average diameter for most home water lines is about 1/4″ in diameter.
Install the Float Valve
First, determine the place for the hole to go-it needs to be in a certain location so that the float valve is in the right place. I know this is tricky because Keurig reservoirs have that roundish-semicircular shape-so. You may want to experiment with the valve placement and see how much it will move under the reservoir lid before you make your mark. When you have the designated spot, mark it on the outside with a piece of tape on the area and a Sharpie.
Drill on the outside of the lid, and place a piece of tape over the designated area to further protect your reservoir lid (it’s plastic, and you have to be careful with drilling in plastic).
Tip: Using a step bit will help minimize the risk of the reservoir lid cracking by making the drilling process more gradual.
Now take your float valve, twist off the ring nut (it’s close to the top), and thread it over the poly tubing. Thread the neck of the float valve into the hole you made in the reservoir lid and check for movement. The neck part that is showing on the outside should be secured with the ring nut.
Installing Tubing For the Water Line
A shutoff valve will be important when you need to halt the water flow when descaling (yes, you’ll still have to do this!) or well,… Murphy’s Law. It needs to accommodate the same tubing thickness, 1/4″
Before you connect the tubing going into the float valve to the tubing that will lead to the water line, temporarily shut off your water supply. (When I last had to do this, it was in the front yard. I took something called a “church key” and twisted it clockwise)
Connecting the Tubing
Sandpaper the ends of your tubing…Thread one end into the ring nut end going into the Keurig and push the compression nut over it. Connect this length of tubing to the brass shutoff fitting and tighten.
Wrap a few rounds of Teflon tape around the area where the tube meets the nut to secure it against leaks.
You will then insert the opposite end of the tubing into the three-way connector fitting. Again push in the tubing until it stops, and secure it with Teflon tape.
Thread the other tubing piece into the water line and the other end into the three-way fitting.
When everything is connected and secure, you can turn the water back on and check the fittings if necessary.
Legines Brass Compression Fitting, Tee Union, 3 ways Connector, 1/4
DRINKPOD USA ICEMAKER-KIT JG 1/4 inch PVC Line & JG PartsJohn Guest PPSV040808WP Single Straight Shut-Off Valve, 1/4
Testing It Out
Alright…Now to see if your work has passed the smell test, several steps are involved. Start brewing a cycle and check for the following: First off, there should be no leaks. If you see water flowing into the tube but a slight trickle out, you may need to wrap the connector fittings with a little more Teflon tape.
Number two…As the coffee brews into your cup, does the amount of water you used for your coffee automatically re-flow back into the reservoir and then stop (very much like the manner in which your toilet tanks refill and then stop when full)
Here is a video to see what this baby will look like when all is said and done!
If so…Great!! Congratulations, you have successfully rigged your reservoir! At this point, you should treat yourself to your favorite brand of coffee. You have earned it!
Good luck to you – Did you find this post helpful? Let me know in the comments.
Top image Attribution: Creative Commons Image Courtesy of Moresheth
