Is it OK to install the waterline for the icemaker before the fridge arrives?
If so, what do I do not turn the water on or something?

It is certainly wise to install the water line for the ice maker prior to getting the refrigerator.

When you go to the hardware store, pick up a ice maker kit. This should come with a "saddle valve", a 20 or 25 ft. roll of 1/4" copper tubing. Please avoid using the plastic hose. My opinion is that it is way to risky.

Connect the saddle valve to the cold water pipe, but do not use the handle to tighten down the needle.

Run the water line and connect it to the saddle valve. When the refrigerator comes in, connect the end of the tubing to the intake on the refrigerator. Now turn the saddle valve handle to push the needle through the copper water pipe and you are set. You might want to let the ice maker cycle one or two times first before you use the ice cubes. Throw the first ice cubes away.

Hey all:

Don has given some good advice here... Hi Don!

However, I am not a fan of saddle valves for ice makers and in fact they are illegal for a licensed plumber to install at all (at least in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island).

I would prefer to see you install a permanent shutoff to your water line and then run the 1/4" copper tubing to the refrigerator. Be sure to leave 6 or 7 coils of copper behind the refrigerator so that after connecting the tubing you can roll the refigerator in and out easily.

Please note here, also that the refrigerator will have a metal CLIP that the tubing will need to go through or else the reaction point when moving the refrigerator in and out will be at the water connection to refrigerator and could cause the pipe to burst free of fitting. Point is to use the clip for the reaction point and then won't have issue here!!

To install a permanent shutoff that is legal you would need to solder a 1/2" copper sweat x 1/4" compression shutoff valve (see picture) at a tee off the cold (or hot) water pipe in the basement (or under sink if closer to fridge). Then can run 1/4" flexible copper tubing to refrigerator as mentioned above.

If you can't solder then may be best to install the self-piercing saddle valve that comes with the ice maker kit...but overall best job is to solder a new shutoff in place. Otherwise home depot sells SHARKBITE FITTINGS that don't require soldering. Here, you would purchase a 1/2" copper sharkbite tee and a 1/2" sharkbite x threaded fitting and then purchase a threaded shutoff, etc...

Let us know what you think OK? I don't mean to complicate this for you, but saddle valves are notoriously unreliable and can leak and malfunction over time!

MARK

Don gave you a great answer and a dynamite solution. Like Mark I'm no fan of saddle valves. I just have one thing to add.
We take off the ice maker line from the hot water supply. The reason being that the water sets in the tank and deoxygenates. That means less air bubbles in the cubes doing away with the " milkey look" and leaving the ice cubes clear. Since there is a very small draw when the icemaker calls for water the water in the ice maker line will be brought to room temperature as would the cold water. The only difference will be in the cleariity of the cubes. Good luck, Tom

I am not a fan of Saddle Valve Connections either. Use double angle stop on cold water side.

Plastic piping is not as flimsy as it used to be. Today's poly-tubing is fine and is supplied by some manufacturers on their appliances. Use snap-in connection with poly-tubing.