Is the digital control panel available on every Ella model and does it replace push buttons?

No. The digital control panel, also called the digital controller, touchpad or keypad, is standard on the Shak, the Big4One and the whole two-seat family, is the only control for the Lounger's Air plus Hydro package, and is an add-on on the Monaco, while most single-seat tubs use chrome push controls. It is offered only on tubs ordered with a combination of jetting systems, so a hydro-only tub keeps push buttons, and even where it is fitted it does not replace every control: microbubble therapy and the independent foot massage keep their own push buttons on single-seat builds, and the hydro intensity dial stays on the deck. What Is the Digital Controller (Touchpad) on a Walk-In Tub? describes the panel itself, and this page sets out where it is offered and exactly what it takes over.

Where the Digital Panel Is Offered, Model by Model

What the table means in practice: if you want the touchpad, you are either choosing one of the models where it is standard, choosing the Lounger's Air plus Hydro package, or ordering a dual-jetting package on a model where it can be added. If you want push buttons on a Shak, Big4One or two-seat tub, that is not how those tubs are built. The therapy systems underneath are the same either way, so the choice is about how you operate the tub, not what the tub can do.

The Rule Behind the List: Combination Jetting

The digital keypad is available only on tubs ordered with a combination of jetting systems, such as air plus hydro. It cannot be fitted to a hydro-only tub, which uses push controls with an intensity dial. On tubs with many options the keypad may be the only practical way to fit all the controls, so the build will use the digital control pad. If you want the keypad on a hydro-only tub, the tub would need to move to a dual-jetting package first, so review the therapy options and features with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before deciding. Digital Keypad or Push Buttons: Which Therapies It Controls and Which Is Easier to Use explains that before a loaded tub is built, the warehouse asks the team to confirm with you which functions will be on the keypad and which on buttons, and that microbubble therapy is a custom upgrade done in the warehouse.

What the Panel Replaces and What It Does Not

The touchpad plugs into the display connector on the control box and performs the same functions the push buttons would. The Master Control Box video on this page shows that box: the air tube connectors for the pump, air blower and LED push switches sit next to the display connector for the digital keypad, which the video describes as working the same as the push buttons, only digital. On the panel, the bubble icon starts the air massage, plus and minus set its speed, and holding the icon for two seconds stops it. The hydro button starts and stops the hydro pump with one press each way, and the light button runs the LED chromatherapy.

What the panel does not take over:

• The hydro intensity dial. Jet strength is still set with the chrome dial on the deck, and turning it up introduces more air into the jet stream for a stronger flow.
• Microbubble therapy and the independent hydro foot massage on single-seat builds. On a tub with air, hydro, hydro foot massage and microbubble, the keypad handles air and hydro while the foot jets and the microbubble system each keep a push button. The Shak, Big4One and two-seat tubs run foot jet on and off from the panel, which is why the warehouse confirms your layout before the build.
• The seat heat on two-seat tubs, which has a separate heat keypad for each seat.

The gestures also differ. On push controls the Air button cycles high, medium, low and off, four presses around the full cycle. On the touchpad there is no cycling: the icon starts the air and plus and minus step the speed. The controls video on this page demonstrates both sequences on the deck. The panel backlight stays on all the time whenever the tub has power, which is normal.

Push Buttons Are the Better Choice for Some Bathers

The standard push buttons are large and operated by a single press, so they can be pushed with the palm of the hand. The keypad's keys are smaller, which suits bathers who want finer control of the massage settings but is harder for someone who cannot see or press a small key accurately. For that reason push buttons are the recommended choice for a bather with limited hand strength, coordination or vision. If reach is the concern, the keypad can be installed on the front apron of the tub rather than the deck so a seated bather can operate it without leaning, and this is offered as an added option.

Adding the Panel to a Tub You Already Own

A digital control can be added after installation, within the combination-jetting rule above. Digital controls are matched to the control box on the tub, so the team asks for a photo of the labeled side of the blue electrical box under the tub to confirm compatibility, and each control is tested on a matching setup before it is packed. The installation instructions are the same for every Ella tub model. Where Can the Digital Control Be Mounted and How Is It Installed? covers the two placements: in the deck where two push buttons currently sit, which means removing those two buttons, cutting an opening with a router and sealing the control with a white kitchen and bath silicone sealant, or another spot on the tub that the team can show you in photos. Talk it through with your installer before cutting, because the opening cannot be undone. A panel that has failed is replaced as a single part, and Ordering a Replacement Electronic Keypad for Your Walk-In Tub explains that electronic controls are among the parts covered by the Lifetime Limited Warranty, parts only, that support tests the new keypad before it ships, and that a local licensed electrician or your installer connects it with power off at the breaker.

Related Guides

• What Does Each Icon on the Ella Digital Touchpad Mean and Do?
• Push Button Controls vs the Digital Touchpad: Operating Every Deck Control
• What Is the Intensity Control Dial on a Walk-In Tub?

Common Questions