Autotrol 368-606W Fully Metered ECO Replacement Water Softener Valve

The 368-606W is the complete fully metered control valve assembly used on WrekinWater's ECO range of water softeners, and on other Autotrol 368-series softener installations. As a demand-initiated valve it tracks actual water usage through its built-in meter and only triggers a regeneration once the resin bed genuinely needs it, rather than on a fixed clock, which saves salt and water over the life of the softener. This is a full replacement head assembly – piston, meter, drive and valve body – rather than a repair kit, so it's the part to order when the existing valve is worn out or damaged beyond economical repair. WrekinWater supplies this as a genuine-spec drop-in unit for ECO softeners and compatible Autotrol 368 installations.

Technical specifications

Symptoms that mean you need this part

• The valve body is cracked, weeping, or has failed at the meter or piston housing beyond seal or spacer-kit repair
• The softener regenerates erratically, or not at all, even after replacing seals, spacers and the drive assembly
• The piston bore or meter turbine is worn to the point where fresh seal kits no longer restore a reliable seal
• You're replacing an ageing or failed OEM valve on a WrekinWater ECO softener and want a genuine-spec drop-in unit

Why it fails / why it matters

The 368 fully metered valve is effectively the brain of an ECO softener: it measures water passing through the meter turbine, tracks it against the programmed resin capacity, and calls for regeneration only when that capacity has actually been used, which extends resin life compared with a simple time-clock valve. When wear or damage goes beyond what seals, spacers or a disc kit can fix – a cracked Noryl body, a worn meter turbine, or damaged drive gears – the only reliable route back to correct operation is to replace the complete valve assembly rather than continuing to chase individual faults.

Why buy this from WrekinWater

WrekinWater has supplied Autotrol and Pentair valve components to installers and DIY customers for over 15 years from its Bettisfield, Shropshire base, and this 368-606W valve is the same unit fitted as standard on WrekinWater's own ECO softener range, so the fit and function are proven. The business stocks the full range of Pentair Fleck, Autotrol, Clack and Kinetico components, is rated Excellent on Trustpilot, and has served more than 50,000 customers, which counts for a lot when a softener is out of action until the replacement valve arrives.

How to fit it

1. Isolate the softener at the bypass valve and shut off the mains supply before starting any valve changeover
2. Confirm the resin tank thread and riser tube size match the 368-606W before ordering, since control valve assemblies are not interchangeable across all tank types
3. Have a competent installer or plumbing engineer remove the old valve head and transfer or fit a new distributor/riser seal to the tank
4. Mount the replacement 368-606W valve and reconnect the bypass, drain line, brine line and power supply to match the original layout
5. Run a manual regeneration to confirm the meter, timing, refill and rinse stages all operate correctly on the new valve
6. Check every pipe union and the drain connection for leaks under full mains pressure before leaving the system in service