Water Softener Parts: What Each Part Does, Part Numbers and Where to Buy Them
Quick answer: a salt-based softener has three main parts: the control valve (the “head”), the resin tank and the brine tank. The parts that wear out are mostly inside the valve: seals, spacers and the piston, plus the injector, motor and brine valve. Find the part number in the parts list at the back of your manual. Buy parts for cabinet softeners (Whirlpool, Morton, Rheem) from the maker; parts for Fleck and Clack valves are sold by dealers, parts stores and Amazon.
How we wrote this: every part number comes from the makers’ own documents: Pentair’s Fleck 5600SXT service manual and spec sheet, Clack’s WS1 service manual and spec sheet, and the Whirlpool WHES48, Rheem RHS18 and Morton M45C manuals. We haven’t taken these valves apart ourselves. Makers change part numbers, so check yours against your own manual before ordering.
Water softener parts finder
Pick your softener and the part you need to see its part numbers and where to get them.
Fleck 5600SXT: seals, spacers and piston
- Seal & spacer kit 60125 (5 seals, 4 spacers)
- Piston: the softener piston (60102-00) is different from the filter piston (60102-10)
Where to get it: water treatment dealers and parts stores carry Fleck parts, and the common kits are on Amazon: see the Fleck rebuild kit.
Water softener parts diagram
This is a two-tank softener, the kind with a Fleck or Clack valve. A cabinet softener has the same parts with the resin tank inside the salt cabinet. Whirlpool’s parts list, for example, includes a 10 × 40-inch resin tank, a brinewell and a brine valve.
- Control valve (head): sends water through the resin in service and runs each regeneration step. Its timer or meter decides when.
- Bypass valve: lets water skip the softener for repairs.
- Injector (nozzle and venturi): draws brine from the brine tank during regeneration. It has a screen that can plug.
- Drain line and flow control: carries regeneration water to a drain; the flow control sets the backwash rate.
- Resin tank (mineral tank): holds the resin.
- Upper basket: keeps resin in the tank at the top.
- Distributor tube (riser): carries softened water up to the valve.
- Resin: beads that swap hardness for sodium. See how a softener works.
- Bottom distributor: a slotted basket that lets water in and keeps beads out.
- Brine line: tubing between the valve and the brine tank.
- Brine tank (salt tank): holds salt and water.
- Brine well and safety float: the float shuts off the refill if the water rises too high. Pentair calls it a safety brine valve.
- Overflow fitting: a backup drain if the tank overfills.
Which parts wear out?
| Part | What goes wrong | What you notice | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valve seals, spacers and piston | Wear and leak inside the valve | Hard water, or water running to the drain | Rebuild the valve |
| Injector and screen | Plugs with sand, silt or dirt | Salt not used, or too much water in the brine tank | Clean it before replacing it |
| Brine line flow control or brine valve | Plugs | Too little water goes into the brine tank | Clean or replace it |
| Drain line flow control | Plugs | Too much water in the brine tank | Clean it; see brine tank problems |
| Drive motor | Stops turning the valve | An error code, or no regeneration | Check error codes, then replace it |
| Control board or power supply | Fails | A blank display | Check the outlet first, then replace it |
| Distributor tube or baskets | Cracks | Resin beads in your plumbing | Resin beads guide |
| Resin | Wears out, faster with chlorine | Water turns hard sooner, and the softener uses more salt | Replace the resin |
Causes from Pentair’s Fleck 5600SXT troubleshooting table and the Whirlpool and Rheem manuals; more detail in our repair guide.
Tanks often carry the longest warranties, up to lifetime; compare them in our brands guide.
Fleck and Clack part numbers
Many two-tank softeners use a Fleck (made by Pentair) or Clack control valve. Both makers publish full parts lists, and their parts are sold by many dealers.
| Part | Fleck 5600SXT | Clack WS1 |
|---|---|---|
| Seals and spacers | Seal & spacer kit 60125 (5 seals, 4 spacers) | Spacer stack V3005-02 |
| Piston | Softener piston 60102-00 (filter: 60102-10) | Downflow V3011 (upflow V3011-01), plus regenerant piston V3174 |
| Injector | Injector drain assembly 60084 series; injector screen 10227 | V3010-1A to V3010-1K, color-coded by size; plug V3010-1Z; screen cage V3177-01 |
| Brine valve and float | 2310 safety brine valve 60014; float 60068-30; air check 60002-34 | Safety float in the brine tank; see the manual |
| Brine line flow control | 60022 series, sized in gpm | Sized for the tank; see the manual |
| Drive motor | 16944 (24 V, 60 Hz) | Clips into the drive bracket; see the manual |
| Power | Transformer 44147 (24 V) | See the manual |
| Bypass | Plastic 60049; stainless 60040SS (¾ in.) or 60041SS (1 in.) | See the manual |
| Drain connection | ½ in. NPTF; flow washer sized in gpm (12088 is 2.4 gpm) | ¾ in. or 1 in. NPT |
| Distributor tube | 13/16 in. (.8125 in.) or 1.05 in. OD | 1.050 in. OD; O-ring V3105 |
| Complete valve | 560006 series (meter or time clock) | Valve body V3001 (downflow) |
| Tank thread | 2½ in.-8 NPSM | 2½ in.-8 NPSM |
From Pentair’s 5600SXT downflow service manual (42684) and spec sheet (42749) and Clack’s WS1 drawings and service manual (V3115-99) and spec sheet. The Fleck piston numbers are from the rebuild kit listing. “See the manual” means the number depends on your valve’s version.
- Seals first. For an internal leak, Pentair’s fix is to replace the seals and spacers and/or the piston. Our repair guide covers the rebuild.
- Softener or filter? The same valves are used on filters. Fleck’s filter piston (60102-10) differs from its softener piston, and Clack’s backwash-only filters use injector plugs and no regenerant piston.
- Size matters. Injectors and flow controls are sized for the tank. Replace like for like unless you’re changing the tank.
More on the two valves in our Clack WS1 vs Fleck 5600SXT comparison.
Whirlpool, Morton and Rheem part numbers
Cabinet softeners use their maker’s own valve, so parts go by the maker’s part numbers. The Whirlpool WHES48 and Rheem RHS18 manuals both say Water Channel Partners makes and warrants them, and Morton’s M45C manual says it’s made for Morton Salt in Woodbury, Minnesota. Some part numbers are shared, but many aren’t, so order by your own model’s list.
| Part | Whirlpool WHES48 | Morton M45C | Rheem RHS18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seal kit | 7185487 | 7185487 | 7129716 |
| Nozzle and venturi | Assembly 7257454; nozzle, venturi & gasket kit 7298913 | Assembly 7257454 | Kit 7398705 |
| Brine valve | 7396834 | 7310202; float, stem & guide 7327568 | 7381172 |
| Motor, cam and gear kit | 7384691 | 7373828 | 7397864 |
| Control board | 7335163 | 7381300 | 7285847 |
| Power supply (24 V DC) | 7351054 | 7351054 | 7351054 |
| Bypass valve | 7214383 (1 in.) | 7214383 (1 in.) | 7370286 (¾ in.) |
| Drain hose | 7139999; adaptor kit 7331169 | 7139999; adaptor kit 7331169 | 7139999; adaptor kit 7331185 |
| Distributor O-ring kit | 7112963 | 7112963 | 7112963 |
| Phone in the manual | 1-866-986-3223 | 1-888-649-2837 | 1-800-754-7027 |
From each model’s exploded view and parts list (Whirlpool 7392327 rev. D, Morton M45C, Rheem RHS18 rev. G). Other models in the same brand can use different numbers.
- Find your model and serial number on the rating decal on the rim below the salt lid; all three manuals ask for them when you call.
- Whirlpool’s parts list also includes the rotor and disc (7185500), the 1-inch installation adaptor (7342704), the top and bottom distributors (7077870 and 7327584) and 1 cu ft of resin (0502272).
- Other cabinet brands (GE, A. O. Smith, Kenmore): use the parts list in your manual if it has one, or call the number in it. A. O. Smith’s manual lists 1-877-333-7108 for warranty service.
When we searched Amazon for these Whirlpool numbers, most results were third-party “compatible” parts, and the seal kits we saw had 3.8 stars or fewer. We’d order from the maker.
Replacing the whole control valve (head)
Replacing the head makes sense when the valve body itself is cracked, when parts for it are no longer sold, or when you want to upgrade an old timer valve to a metered one. Our repair-or-replace calculator helps you decide whether to replace the whole softener instead.
- Tank thread: the Fleck 5600SXT and Clack WS1 both mount on tanks with a 2½ in.-8 NPSM opening.
- Distributor tube: Fleck takes 13/16-inch or 1.05-inch tubes; Clack’s spec sheet lists only 1.050-inch, so a 13/16-inch tube would need replacing. Check yours before switching.
- What’s included: Pentair’s complete 5600SXT valves (560006-series numbers) don’t include the bypass, yoke or drain line flow control.
- Setup: the injector and drain flow control must suit your tank size, and the new valve must be programmed for your tank and hardness.
Cabinet softeners use the maker’s own valve, so the usual fix there is to replace the worn parts.
Drain hose and drain line parts
- Flexible or rigid: Whirlpool includes a flexible drain hose that you cut to length. Where codes don’t allow a flexible hose, its manual calls for a ¼ NPT compression fitting and ½-inch tubing.
- Longer runs: Pentair says a home drain line should be at least ½ inch, and ¾ inch if it’s longer than 20 feet or the backwash flow is over 7 gpm.
- Air gap: leave a gap of 1½ inches between the end of the hose and the drain, Whirlpool says, so sewer water can’t flow back.
- Keep it short. Whirlpool says to make the drain line as short and direct as possible.
For routing the drain line and the rest of the plumbing, see how to install a water softener.
Where to buy water softener parts
- Cabinet softeners: call the maker with the model and serial number; the numbers are in the table above.
- Fleck and Clack valves: water treatment dealers, online parts stores and Amazon. Clack sells through equipment makers and dealers rather than to homeowners directly.
- Near you: call local water treatment dealers before driving over; ask whether they service your valve brand.
- Before ordering: photograph the old part and the valve’s label, and check whether your valve is a softener or a filter, and downflow or upflow.
Larger commercial softeners use bigger valves with their own manuals and parts lists. The approach is the same: find the valve model, then its parts list.
Parts we recommend
Fleck 5600 softener valve rebuild kit
The listing includes the main piston (60102-00), seals and spacers (60125) and brine valve (60032) for the Fleck 5600 valve. If only the seals are worn, the seal and spacer kit alone is cheaper.
Good to know: this is the softener piston; the filter piston (60102-10) is different.
Rebuild kit on Amazon Seal kit on AmazonClack WS1 rebuild kit with service wrench
The listing describes genuine Clack parts: the seal and spacer stack, the V3011 main piston, the V3174 regenerant piston and the V3193 wrench used to open the valve.
Good to know: sold by a third-party water treatment store; make sure the parts match your valve’s flow direction.
Check price on Amazon2310-style brine tank safety float
The float assembly that sits in the brine well and shuts off the refill if the water rises too high. The listing says it fits Fleck and Clack softeners.
Good to know: measure your brine well first; floats come in different lengths. A plugged injector or drain line is a more common cause of a full tank than a bad float.
Check price on Amazon1.05-inch upper basket and bottom distributor
A twist-lock upper basket the listing says fits Fleck, Clack and other valves on 1.05-inch tubes, and a slotted bottom basket sold under the Fleck 40922 number.
Good to know: if the tube itself is cracked, replace the whole tube. Check your tube’s size before ordering.
Upper basket on Amazon Bottom basket on Amazon1-inch installation adapter kit (7342704)
Adapters, clips and O-rings for the 1-inch bypass valves on Whirlpool, Morton and similar cabinet softeners; 7342704 is the number in both the WHES48 and M45C parts lists.
Good to know: the fit list comes from the seller; check the number against your manual.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
What are the main parts of a water softener?
The control valve, the resin tank full of resin beads, and the brine tank that holds the salt, plus the bypass valve, injector, distributor tube, drain line, brine line and safety float. See the diagram.
Are water softener parts universal?
No. Cabinet softener parts go by the maker’s model, and even related brands use different numbers. Fleck and Clack valves share standard tank threads and some basket sizes, but the parts inside each valve are its own.
What is the head on a water softener?
The control valve on top of the resin tank. It holds the timer or meter, motor, piston, seals and injector, and it runs each regeneration.
Where can I buy Morton water softener parts?
Call the number in your Morton manual (1-888-649-2837 in the M45C manual) with your model and serial number. Several M45C parts share Whirlpool numbers, such as the seal kit 7185487.
Does a water softener have a check valve?
Yes, a small one: the air check in the brine well stops air being drawn into the brine line once the brine runs out. Pentair lists it as part 60002-34 with its 2310 safety brine valve.
Related guides
- Water softener repair: common problems and DIY fixes
- How does a water softener work?
- Water softener resin replacement
- Water in the brine tank: how much is normal
- Water softener maintenance: monthly to yearly checklist
Sources
- Pentair, Fleck 5600SXT downflow service manual (42684): installation, parts lists, troubleshooting and error codes; and the 5600SXT spec sheet (42749).
- Clack, WS1 and WS1.25 drawings and service manual and WS1 spec sheet (form 2572).
- Whirlpool, WHES48 installation and operation manual (7392327 rev. D): parts lists, drain and air gap requirements.
- Rheem, RHS18 installation and operation manual (rev. G): parts list.
- Morton, Model M45C installation and operation manual: parts list.
- A. O. Smith, AO-WH-SOFT-350C/400T/450T owner’s manual: warranty service.
- Amazon listings for the kits, float, baskets and adapters, and an Amazon search for Whirlpool part numbers, checked November 2026.