Which Ella Walk-In Tubs Come With the 2-Piece or 5-Piece Faucet?

Most Ella walk-in tubs ship with one of two deck-mounted fast-fill faucet sets, and the model decides which one is standard. The Standard and Standard60 come with the 5-piece set with separate hot and cold handles, while the Zen, Zen60 and Flow come with the 2-piece single-lever set, as do the two-seat Tub4Two and Companion. What Is a Fast-Fill Faucet on a Walk-In Tub? explains how each set works, and this page lists the split model by model, including the tubs that take either set and the one that takes none.

Which Models Carry Which Set

The practical difference is in the handles and the flow. A 2-piece tub gives you one lever and one button, which many bathers with limited grip prefer, and it is designed for 16 gallons per minute at 60 PSI. A 5-piece tub separates hot and cold into two handles with a diverter lever between them and is designed for 18 gallons per minute. Both sets include the same pull-out hand shower, so the choice does not change how you rinse while seated. The two LayDown tubs sit outside the usual split: the 72-inch model is faucet-ready and can take either Ella set as an option, and the 60-inch model has no deck faucet at all, so it needs a faucet you already have or one your plumber supplies.

How the Two Sets Differ in Daily Use

On the 2-piece set you lift the lever for on, move it left for hot and right for cold, and press the diverter button under the spout to send water to the hand shower. The spout is solid brass in chrome with a high-flow cartridge, and the Zen profile notes the set is offered in chrome or brushed nickel. On the 5-piece set the red handle is hot, the blue handle is cold, and the middle lever is the diverter: turn it toward OFF and push the faucet lever down for the hand shower.

• Both sets ship with a pull-out hand shower that has 5 flow settings, is limited to 1.9 GPM, and rides on a 5 foot braided hose with a back-flow prevention valve.
• Both sets come with two 3/4 inch by 5 foot braided supply lines. Shut-off valves are not included, so plan easily accessible ones near the tub.
• Hoses and handsets are matched to the set. The 5-piece hose does not fit the 2-piece faucet, so have a photo of your faucet ready when you ask for a part.
• In real homes, fill time runs 7 to 15 minutes depending on tub size and your water supply. The GPM figures assume 60 PSI and ideal plumbing.

The 2-piece set is certified to CSA B125.1, ASME A112.18.1, ICC 117.1, ANSI/NSF 61/9 and IAPMO UPC with an ADA lever, which is worth knowing if your project has an accessibility requirement. On your paperwork, the code 5P-FFF is the 5-piece set, and a finish suffix such as BN means brushed nickel.

Why the Faucet Is Settled When You Order

The faucet video walks through the options and makes one point that matters for planning: when your order is placed, a tub is pulled with your name on it and drilled for whatever faucet you select, then built with the features you chose. The video shows the two-piece high-flow faucet, the five-piece high-flow faucet, and a tub fitted with the TCV faucet, so the set listed for a model is the standard choice rather than the only one. The deck cut-outs are specific to the set. The Zen profile, for example, lists cut-outs of 2-1/2 in and 1/3 in plus a 7/8 in diagonal hand-shower hole for its 2-piece faucet. Confirm the set with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the tub is built, because the deck is drilled for that set.

If you choose an Ella thermostatic faucet package, the tub includes a built-in Ella Thermostatic Control Valve that mixes hot and cold to a set temperature. That valve carries a 1-year limited warranty and is excluded from the lifetime parts warranty, so it is the one faucet choice with different coverage from the rest of the tub.

The Two-Seat Tubs and the Faucet Included in the Package

The two-seat video tour covers the faucets by model. The Tub4Two and the Companion come with a 2-piece fast-fill faucet set, and the Big4Two comes with a dual 2-piece set so that each seat has its own faucet. The presenter explains that each seat in a true two-seat tub has its own jets, its own heated seat and its own high-flow faucet, with no sharing between sides. The two-seat tubs video tour walks through all four models with the faucet and door notes for each.

On the single-seat side, the Zen and Zen60 profile is the clearest example of the 2-piece set as a design choice: the Zen is built on the Standard platform with a smaller seat and 17 jets, and the 2-piece single-lever faucet takes the place of the 5-piece set. Otherwise the two tubs share the same pump, in-line heater, intensity dial, push control, grab bars and access panels. The accessories overview notes that on the tubs that carry it, the five-piece fill faucet is already part of the tub package and does not need to be added separately.

Add-Ons That Work with Either Set

The shower column kit connects to either the 2-piece or the 5-piece fast-fill faucet set. The column video shows the existing hand shower coming off, the column base going into the vacant receptacle, and a new one-half inch supply line attached to the diverter on the faucet set. With the column fitted you push the diverter button on the 2-piece set, or turn the diverter handle on the 5-piece set, for the five-setting hand shower, and engage the diverter for the overhead rain shower. The column adjusts to a maximum height of approximately 90 inches, with 14 inches of adjustment to bring the head down to approximately 76 inches.

A leak elimination kit is available for the pull-out hand shower when a slide bar is installed, and it prevents drips behind the tub when the handset is out of the tub. The accessories and add-ons overview lists it alongside aromatherapy, the tile flange and the pillows. If you are still narrowing the model list, the common model questions page covers the other choices that tend to come up at the same time, such as soakers without jets, two-seat doors and the Front Entry faucet side.

Watch: Shower Column Kit for Walk-In Tubs: Two in One - Tub & Shower Combination | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Ella Fast-Fill Faucets: 2-Piece vs 5-Piece, Finishes, and the Waterfall Option
• Buying a Fast-Fill Faucet Set or Valve Body on Its Own: Specs, Finishes and Deck Hole Size

Related Videos

Common Questions