What Is the Ella TransferXXL Wheelchair Accessible Walk-In Tub?

The Ella TransferXXL is the widest wheelchair accessible walk-in tub in the Ella's Bubbles lineup, a bariatric Transfer model measuring 36 inches wide by 55 inches long by 40 inches tall with a 29 inch wide seat. Its L-shape door swings outward through 172 degrees and clears the entire side of the tub, so a bather slides across from a wheelchair onto the seat instead of stepping over a wall. It can be ordered as a plain soaking tub or with hydro, air and microbubble therapy, and How do I choose a wheelchair accessible walk-in tub? shows where it sits next to the four smaller Transfer sizes.

Size, Seat and Water Capacity

The TransferXXL is the one Transfer model built for bathers who need extra width. The figures below come from the current spec sheets and the published model guides. The correct model name is TransferXXL; there is no XXXL model, and any XXXL wording you see on an older schematic refers to this tub.

What the figures mean in practice: the 29 inch seat is the widest in the Transfer family, so the TransferXXL is the model to look at when hip room on the seat is the limiting factor. The tub is the same 40 inches tall as the Transfer26 and Transfer32, and its 55 inch length falls between the 52 inch and 60 inch models. It also holds the most water in the family at 132 gallons unoccupied, though the 55 to 75 gallons occupied figure is closer to what you actually fill once you are seated, and that is the number to size your home hot water supply against with your plumber.

The L-Shape Outward Swing Door

The video on this page shows the three Ella door styles side by side and ends with the L-shaped door: durable yet lightweight aluminum, two latches on the same gear and shaft mechanism as the three-latch U-shape door, and an opening that allows toilet clearance of up to 21 inches in height alongside room for the wheelchair. On the TransferXXL the door swings 172 degrees, which is why the whole side of the tub is clear for a seated transfer.

Using it follows a fixed pattern. Swing the door fully open, position the wheelchair beside the tub, slide across onto the seat, then pull the door closed and turn the handle clockwise. The handle pushes two tapered pins into the frame and compresses the seal evenly, and the seal is as tight with the tub empty as with it full. Never open the door until the tub has completely drained, and never put your weight on the open door during the transfer, because the door and seal warranty is valid only while the factory alignment is unchanged. Use the grab bar and the seat instead. What Is an L-Shape Transfer Door on a Walk-In Tub? covers the latch pins and the striker plate adjustment.

What Comes with Every TransferXXL

The spec sheet lists the following on the soaking configuration, before any therapy package is added:

• Acrylic shell in gloss white, reinforced with fiberglass gelcoat.
• Stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs.
• Outward swing door with the 2 latch gear and shaft mechanism.
• Removable front apron with two access panels.
• One reversible end panel and a 5 inch extension panel, which your installer uses to close the gap to the wall in a longer alcove.
• Stainless steel chrome finish deck and wall-mounted grab bar.
• Two 2 inch 4-port PVC drains with two end caps, two overflows, and two stainless steel operated openers with extended chrome handles.
• The 5 piece faucet, rated up to 18 gallons per minute at 60 PSI with ideal in-home plumbing, with two 5 foot 3/4 inch water supply lines and a pull-out chrome hand shower on a 5 foot retractable stainless steel braided hose.

A heated seat and backrest and a digital controller are the two listed options. Across the lineup, depending on the model, extras such as a 24 inch hand shower slide bar or a 10 by 7.5 inch head pillow can be added; ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 which apply to this model. The Walk-in Tub Model Highlights page introduces the TransferXXL alongside the Longer, Deluxe and Monaco.

Therapy Packages and Jet Counts

The TransferXXL is one of the Transfer models offered with triple therapy packages. The spec sheet lists seven ways to order it: Soaking; Hydro Massage; Hydro Massage + Microbubble; Hydro + Hydro Independent Foot Massage; Air + Hydro; Air + Hydro + Microbubble; and Air + Hydro + Hydro Independent Foot Massage. The LED chromatherapy light, rated 0.5A with an on/off push control, is included with the dual and triple packages and not with Hydro Massage alone.

There is no single jet count for a Transfer tub, because the count depends on the package. On the TransferXXL the hydro massage package carries 22 hydro jets, 16 in the seat and 6 at the feet, driven by a 7A pump with an intensity dial, ozone sterilization at 0.04A and a 6A 650W in-line water heater. The Hydro + Air package instead pairs 11 hydro jets, 5 back jets and 6 foot jets, with 17 air jets, 11 in the seat and 6 at the feet, from a 4.5A 500W three-speed air pump. The air system's auto-purge activates 20 minutes after the pump shuts down to blow the lines dry, and it cannot be stopped. Hydro + Hydro Foot Massage adds a second hydro pump, 5A and 7A together, and the microbubble option adds a 1 HP 7.3A pump with a pressure vessel and agitator valve. The spec sheet notes that amp values can change with pump availability, so verify them before purchase.

Planning the Bathroom for a TransferXXL

• Clear floor in front. The L-shape door needs about 36.5 inches of clear floor in front of the tub for its 172 degree arc, plus room for the wheelchair to sit alongside. Confirm the swing with your installer before you commit to a wall or vanity position.
• The path into the house. Plan around the shipping crate, not the tub: 38 by 57 by 50 inches at a shipping weight of 300 pounds, with the tub itself at 220 pounds net.
• Electrical. Dedicated GFCI protected electrical line or lines, 115/120V 60Hz.
• Water. Two 3/4 inch supply lines come with the faucet, and the occupied capacity of 55 to 75 gallons is the hot water each bath draws.
• Drains. Two 2 inch gravity drains with overflows. On an Ella tub the drains sit on the opposite side from the door: a right-side door puts the drains on the left and a left-side door puts them on the right as you face the tub.

Ella's Bubbles does not install tubs or send technicians. A local licensed plumber and electrician do the installation, and if a part is ever needed under the Lifetime Limited Warranty, it ships to you and your tradesperson fits it. For a broader look at door styles and footprints, see Walk-in Tub Models and Sizes, and bring your measurements to your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

Watch: Wheelchair Accessible Walk-In Tub Door Options for Elderly & Disabled | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Ella Big4One vs TransferXXL: which bariatric tub suits a broad bather?
• How Do You Transfer From a Wheelchair Into an Ella Walk-In Tub?
• Wheelchair Transfer Tubs Compared: Transfer26, Transfer30, Transfer32, Transfer60, and TransferXXL

Related Videos

Questions fréquentes