If the diverter handle on your Ella faucet hits the spout, does not travel far enough to send water to the hand shower, or sits at an awkward angle, you can adjust its throw with a 2mm hex key. The handle is held on the diverter by a small lock screw hidden under a silver cap. Loosening that screw lets you lift the handle off and reseat it at a better angle, so it swings freely between the spout and the hand shower. Close the drains before you start, because the cap and the screw are small and can drop straight into an open drain.

Before You Start

Close both drains. There will be a few small loose pieces during this job, the silver cap and the lock screw, and if either drops into the tub it can go straight into the drain. Have a 2mm hex key, also called an allen wrench, ready and lay a towel over the deck to catch anything that falls. Nothing in this procedure opens the diverter valve itself.

Adjusting the Throw

1. Pop off the small silver cap on the diverter handle. It covers the lock screw.
2. Insert a 2mm hex key into the lock screw and loosen it a quarter to a half turn. Do not back the screw all the way out, or it will fall free.
3. With the handle still on the diverter, turn it all the way to the spout side. This puts the diverter in a known position.
4. Lift the handle straight off. It should come away easily once the screw is loose.
5. Set the handle back on the diverter at a new angle, so it has room to swing fully between the spout position and the hand shower position.
6. Turn the handle back and forth to confirm it can complete the swing without hitting the spout or the deck. If it still binds, lift it off and reseat it at a different angle.
7. Tighten the lock screw with the hex key and press the silver cap back on.

Why the Handle Position Matters

The diverter sends water either to the tub spout or to the hand shower. The throw is the arc the handle travels between those two positions. If the handle was installed at an angle that runs into the spout or the deck, it cannot complete the arc, and switching between spout and hand shower becomes awkward or incomplete. Reseating the handle a notch around fixes the throw without any change to the diverter itself. Keep the lock screw snug once you are done, because a loose screw lets the handle drift and you will be back where you started.

When the Problem Is Not the Handle

If the handle moves freely but water still does not go to the hand shower, the issue is inside the diverter rather than in the handle position, and why the diverter will not switch to the hand shower covers that. For a faucet that drips, see replacing your faucet cartridge. Loose drain handles are a separate, equally quick fix described in why are my drain handles loose.

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.