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Support Center / Plumbing & Electrical / Common Electrical Questions: 15 or 20 Amps, One Circuit or Two, GFCI at the Outlet or the Breaker, Cord Labels and Diagrams

Common Electrical Questions: 15 or 20 Amps, One Circuit or Two, GFCI at the Outlet or the Breaker, Cord Labels and Diagrams

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary9
  1. Is 15 Amps Enough?
  2. Is It 120 Volts or 240 Volts?
  3. One 20 Amp Circuit or Two?
  4. GFCI at the Outlet, at the Breaker, or Both?
  5. Is a Diagram Packed in the Crate? What Do the Cord Stickers Mean?
  6. Where Do the Outlets Go?
  7. Grounding
  8. Where the Third Pump Plugs in
  9. Common Questions

The walk-in tub electrical requirements for an Ella tub come down to this: every tub with pumps runs on dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt, GFCI-protected circuits, and the number of circuits depends on the jetting package you chose. A 15 amp line is correct in only two cases: the Ella Flow, whose outlet is specified at 15 amps, and a soaking tub whose only electrical item is the heated seat and backrest. Everything else needs 20 amps, and any package with independent foot massage or MicroBubbles always needs a second line. This article answers the electrical questions installers and homeowners ask most often. The full model-by-model circuit table lives in the electrical requirements by model article, so it is only summarized here.

Is 15 Amps Enough?

No, except for the Flow and the soaking-with-heated-seat case above. Where a 15 amp circuit was wired for a standard hydro tub, the control box overloads the breaker, which is exactly the symptom support hears about. The hydro pump and its inline heater share one plug, and the heater only runs while the water pump is on, so a single 20 amp line carries a hydro-only tub comfortably. A tub without pumps is a different story: the soaking-only walk-in tubs article explains why a soaker needs no dedicated circuit at all unless the heated seat is added.

Is It 120 Volts or 240 Volts?

All Ella walk-in tubs run on standard 110/120 volt North American household power. Spec sheets print the figure as 110/120V, 115V 60Hz or 115/120V 60Hz depending on the model, and all of these describe the same ordinary household circuit. No Ella tub needs a 240 volt feed.

One 20 Amp Circuit or Two?

Count the pumps and options in your package rather than guessing by model name. In short: hydro alone, or air plus hydro on a single-seat tub, runs on one dedicated 20 amp GFCI circuit. Add independent foot massage or MicroBubbles and you need a second circuit; as the technical team puts it, independent foot massage and MicroBubbles will always require a second circuit. A hydro plus independent foot massage tub, for example, requires two 20 amp breakers, one per labeled line. The full air, hydro, foot and MicroBubble package on the Shak and Big4One, and the full package on the two-seat tubs, needs three. The tub cannot share a circuit with any other appliance, and no other appliances should be placed within 3 feet of the tub. Which combinations a given model can carry is covered in therapy combinations by model.

GFCI at the Outlet, at the Breaker, or Both?

One or the other is sufficient. The warranty requires GFCI protection on the circuit and does not specify whether that protection sits at the receptacle or at the breaker. An older electrical setup video says both, and the technical team has confirmed that wording is not correct. Your licensed electrician can choose the location that suits your panel and local code. Whichever you use, the circuit must be dedicated to the tub.

NuWhirl AST-201 walk-in tub control module label showing the Class A GFCI protection requirement
Every Ella pump and control module carries its own listing label, and each one calls for Class A GFCI protection on the circuit.

Is a Diagram Packed in the Crate? What Do the Cord Stickers Mean?

Electrical diagrams are not shipped inside the tub. Instead, Ella's Bubbles labels the power cords themselves at the factory. On a two-line tub the cords carry stickers reading "Line 1 20 Amp" and "Line 2 20 Amp" so the electrician can see at a glance which cord belongs on which circuit. The per-package electrical requirements, including how many plugs and lines each tub needs, are published on the Compare Ella Walk-In Tubs page under the Jetting Packages tab, and the team can send the wiring diagram for your exact configuration when you open a ticket. Once the outlets exist, which cord plugs where shows what each control box and cord connects to.

This video covers the ground rules: every pump, heater and control is ETL certified and clearly marked; the connection from the tub to the house must be made on dedicated GFCI-protected outlets; the tub cannot share a circuit with any other appliance; and the amperage provided at the panel must match the number and type of components in your package.

Where Do the Outlets Go?

Inside the equipment compartment, under the seat area, within reach of the labeled cords and inside the service access the installer must provide for the plumbing and electrical. Cords are short by design and extension cords are never used, so the outlet comes to the cord rather than the other way round. Do not insulate around the tub equipment, since the pump and electronics need air to stay cool. The service access planning article covers apron panels and wall access.

Hand holding a gray waterproof GFCI leakage protection plug and junction box for a walk-in tub
A leakage protection plug with its own test and reset buttons; whichever form the GFCI takes, the circuit still has to be dedicated to the tub.

Grounding

Ella tubs ship with ground wires on every electrical component and on the tub frame. The installer must secure a proper ground connection to the frame and components in line with local and state electrical codes. A grounded frame is also one of the items the installer initials on the warranty activation checklist.

Where the Third Pump Plugs in

On triple-massage tubs such as an Ultimate with three pumps, the control box runs the air pump and the water pump, while the third pump (the independent foot massage) is powered together with the inline heater on its own line. If one massage does not run, check that its pump and cord are actually plugged in and powered. The control box has a green LED; when it is lit, power is reaching the box, which is the first thing to confirm when nothing responds.

Common Questions

The breaker or GFCI tripped once. Is something wrong?
First check whether it was really a trip or simply the tub's built-in 20 minute timer switching the pumps off, which is normal and can be restarted. A single trip with no water under the tub usually points to a faulty GFCI device rather than the tub. If the GFCI fails its test or will not reset, treat it as a shock hazard: turn the power off, stop using the tub and have a licensed electrician correct it. The breaker keeps tripping article covers repeated trips.
Do I need two 20 amp breakers if the tub has two motors?
Yes, for hydro plus independent foot massage: that configuration requires two 20 amp breakers, one per labeled line, and the cords carry factory stickers reading Line 1 20 Amp and Line 2 20 Amp so the electrician knows which cord goes where. Air plus hydro on a single-seat tub is the exception, because one controller runs both pumps from a single dedicated 20 amp line. Independent foot massage and MicroBubbles always require a second circuit.
Does the heater need its own circuit?
No. The inline heater shares the hydro pump's plug and line and only operates while that pump is running, so a single 20 amp line carries a hydro-only tub comfortably. On a tub with independent foot massage, the heater is powered together with the foot pump on its own line. No Ella tub needs a 240 volt feed for the heater or anything else.
Can two cords share one GFCI outlet?
No. Each labeled cord needs its own dedicated GFCI-protected circuit, and the tub cannot share a circuit with any other appliance. The only components that share a line are the ones the factory has already combined on a single cord, such as the hydro pump and its inline heater. Extension cords are never used, so plan an outlet within reach of each cord inside the equipment compartment.
How much power does the heated seat use?
The optional Heated Seat and Backrest draws about 4 amps, less than a light bulb. On a soaking tub it is the only electrical item, so it runs on a 15 amp GFCI-protected line, and a soaker with no heated seat needs no dedicated circuit at all. On a jetted tub the seat is counted in the package's line total rather than needing a line of its own.
Can the tub go in before the electrician finishes?
The tub can be set in place, but the electrical should be complete and tested before the final water test and before the walls close. The pre-installation test runs every component for 30 minutes on its rated circuit with the tub filled, so the dedicated circuits need to exist by then. If you are installing the tub yourself, the DIY installation guide lists everything that must be completed to keep support and warranty.
Where do I find the electrical requirements for my exact tub?
On the spec sheet under the Downloads tab of your product page, and on the Compare Ella Walk-In Tubs page under the Jetting Packages tab, which lists how many plugs and lines each package needs. Electrical diagrams are not shipped in the crate; the cords are labeled at the factory instead. If you open a ticket with your model and jetting package, the team can send the wiring diagram for your exact configuration.
Can I run the pumps before the tub is full?
No. Never run a pump before water covers all the jets, because a pump run dry is permanently damaged and that damage is not covered. The pre-installation test is done with the tub filled, and the same rule applies to every bath afterward. Fill until all the jets are covered before switching any massage on.

For anything specific to your model, serial number or jetting package, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and the team will walk your installer through it.

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