Autotrol 1238861 Motor & Cable Assembly

The 1238861 is the genuine-spec drive motor and cable assembly used on Autotrol 255, Performa and Logix control valves, the geared electric motor that physically turns the camstack or piston through each stage of a regeneration cycle. It's supplied complete with its wiring cable and connector so it drops straight in without splicing. Anyone whose softener has stalled mid-cycle, stopped indexing between stages, or gone silent when a regeneration should be running needs to look at this part, and WrekinWater carries it as a genuine-spec replacement.

Technical specifications

Symptoms that mean you need this part

• The valve hums or clicks but the camstack doesn't turn during regeneration
• Regeneration starts but stalls partway through a cycle, leaving the valve in the wrong position
• There's no motor noise at all when a regeneration is due or manually initiated
• The cable or connector is visibly damaged, corroded or has been chewed by pests

Why it fails / why it matters

The drive motor is what turns the camstack (or piston, on rotary-disc valves) through backwash, brine draw, rinse and refill, with the controller switching power to the motor and reading position feedback from micro-switches as each stage completes. Motors fail through worn brushes and gears, seized bearings after years of intermittent low-duty use, or through water ingress at the cable gland corroding the windings. A motor that's failing electrically but not mechanically often shows as intermittent operation or a valve that hangs between positions, while a fully seized motor simply stops turning, leaving the softener stuck in whatever position it was in when it failed.

Why buy this from WrekinWater

WrekinWater has stocked genuine and genuine-spec Autotrol motor assemblies for installers and DIY customers for over 15 years from its Bettisfield, Shropshire base, part of a wider range covering Pentair Fleck, Autotrol, Clack and Kinetico drive components. With 50,000-plus customers served and an Excellent Trustpilot rating, it's a dependable source when a stalled valve means hard water running through the house until the part arrives.

How to fit it

1. Isolate the softener at the bypass valve and disconnect the mains transformer before starting work
2. Remove the valve cover to access the motor mounting and camstack coupling
3. Disconnect the motor cable connector from the control board
4. Release the motor's retaining screws or clips and withdraw it from its mounting, freeing it from the camstack drive coupling
5. Fit the new 1238861 motor and cable assembly, engaging the drive coupling correctly, and secure it with the retaining screws or clips
6. Reconnect the cable to the control board, refit the cover, restore power and water, and run a manual regeneration to confirm the motor drives the camstack through a full cycle