12 - 1000213 - For 12in Diameter Vessel - 3.5gpm, 13.2lpm Backwash Flow Controller for Autotrol Valves (No Ball Included)

This is the Autotrol drain line flow control (DLFC) button sized for a 12" diameter resin vessel, rated at 3.5gpm (13.2lpm), part number 1000213. Fitted into the drain elbow of an Autotrol control valve, it meters the backwash flow to drain so the resin bed fluidises and expands correctly without being washed away or wasting excessive water. Supplied without the ball, so it's intended as a like-for-like button replacement where the ball is still serviceable. Sized correctly to the vessel diameter, this DLFC button is in stock at WrekinWater for softener servicing and repair.

Technical specifications

Symptoms that mean you need this part

• Resin granules are appearing in the drain water during or after backwash
• Backwash looks weak, with the bed barely lifting or expanding in the tank
• Hardness breakthrough after regeneration despite fresh salt and a completed cycle
• The DLFC button is missing, cracked, or was left out after a valve rebuild

Why it fails / why it matters

The DLFC button is a precisely sized orifice that limits how fast water can leave the resin tank during backwash, regardless of incoming mains pressure. Without the correct button fitted, or with one sized for the wrong vessel diameter, backwash flow either runs too fast and carries resin down the drain, or too slow and fails to fluidise and clean the bed properly. Because the correct flow rate depends directly on the cross-sectional area of the vessel, a 12" tank needs the 3.5gpm button specifically, not the 10" or 13" equivalents, otherwise the mismatch shows up as either resin loss or poor backwashing and subsequent hardness breakthrough.

Why buy this from WrekinWater

WrekinWater stocks the full family of Autotrol DLFC buttons across the 7" to 14" vessel range, so this 12" 3.5gpm version is sold correctly matched to your tank rather than as a generic size. Based in Bettisfield, Shropshire and trading as UK Company No. 11000488, WrekinWater has served more than 50,000 customers over 15 years and holds an Excellent rating on Trustpilot, giving confidence that a low-cost but easily mismatched part like this arrives right first time.

How to fit it

1. Isolate the softener at the bypass valve and relieve pressure before opening the valve body
2. Locate the drain line flow control fitting, usually housed in the drain elbow or fitting at the base of the valve
3. Remove the retaining clip or cap and withdraw the existing DLFC button and ball assembly
4. Confirm the vessel diameter matches 12" before fitting, since buttons are not interchangeable between sizes
5. Fit the new 1000213 button with its o-ring, reusing the existing ball if it's still in good condition, and refit the retaining clip
6. Restore mains pressure, run a manual backwash cycle, and check the drain flow and bed expansion look correct