Finding water inside the air blower is rare on an Ella walk-in tub, because the air massage system gives bath water no easy path back to the motor. The air manifold sits on the back side of the tub at the very top, above the water line, and a check valve at the manifold lets air flow out to the jets while blocking water from flowing back. When a blower does fill with water, one of two things happened: a check valve stuck open, or the tub was filled higher than the overflow so water rose up to the manifold. Both are worth understanding so the replacement blower stays dry for good.

Why Water in the Blower Is so Uncommon

Air travels from the blower, through the manifold, down the small air hoses and out through the jets. Two things protect the motor:

• Height. The manifold is mounted on the back side of the tub at the top, so it sits above the normal water line. Water in the bath simply does not reach it.
• The check valve. Right at the manifold, where the small air hoses leave it, a check valve allows air to travel one way only. Air goes out to the jets; water cannot come back up toward the blower.

Some water naturally flows back into the air lines after a bath. It stays in the lines, not the motor, and the Auto-Purge cycle blows those lines dry a short while later.

The Two Ways Water Can Reach the Motor

1. A check valve that sticks open. If the valve does not close, the one-way protection is gone, and water that flows back into the air lines after a bath can continue past the manifold toward the blower. This is uncommon, but it is the first thing to check when the tub has never been overfilled.
2. The tub was filled above the overflow. If the water is allowed to climb well past the overflow, it can rise to the level of the manifold. Once the manifold is under water, the valve is being asked to hold back water it was never meant to sit in. This is a bathing habit, not a fault in the tub, and it is easy to correct.

Once the cause is addressed, a fresh blower with its own check valve puts the system back to the way it was designed.

Where to Look

If your installer wants to inspect the valve, here is where it lives:

• Remove the access panel that reaches the back side of the tub.
• Look at the top of the back side of the shell for the air manifold, the fitting where the bundle of small air hoses begins.
• The check valve is right there at the manifold, where the small air hoses leave it. It sits above the water line by design.

While the panel is off, note whether the air lines or the blower are holding water and take clear photos. Blower work is a job for your installer or a qualified technician, with the tub unplugged first.

What a Replacement Blower Includes

A replacement blower ships with its check valve, so the weak point is not left in place. To get the right blower matched to your tub:

1. Find the serial number on your tub. The article on locating your model and serial numbers shows where the label is.
2. Take photos of the blower, the manifold area and any water you found.
3. Send the serial number and photos through ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850.

Motors and pumps are supporting equipment covered by the Lifetime Limited Warranty for the original owner at the original installation location, and photos of the part with a description of the problem are part of every claim. The warranty covers the replacement part, not the labor to install it. The warranty claim article walks through the steps.

Keeping the New Blower Dry

Two habits protect the motor for the life of the tub:

• Keep the water at or below the overflow. The overflow is the highest fill line the tub is designed for. With the water there or lower, the manifold stays above the water line and the check valve is never under water. Air massage does need every air jet submerged, so a full tub is right; just stop at the overflow. Our guide to water level before running the jets covers how full the tub should be for each therapy.
• Let the Auto-Purge finish. About 20 minutes after you turn the air massage pump off, the Auto-Purge starts on its own and runs for 120 seconds to blow leftover water out of the air lines. It cannot be interrupted and stops by itself. That cycle keeps water from sitting in the lines near the manifold, so there is no need to worry when it starts.

The purge kicking on, and other sounds from under the tub, are covered in normal sounds your walk-in tub makes.

This video shows the three air massage speeds and explains why the Auto-Purge restarts the pump 20 minutes after shutoff to blow the air lines dry.

Common Questions