How the optional heated seat and backrest works, and why it turns off after 20 minutes

The optional heated seat and backrest warms the surfaces you sit and lean against, so the tub feels cozy from the moment you step in, while the water is filling, and even after the bath drains. It is a 4A radiant surface heating system built into the seat and backrest, completely separate from the in-line water heater that works with the hydro jets. Press its button once to turn it on, press again to turn it off, and know that it switches itself off automatically after 20 minutes, which is normal and by design.

How to Use It

The video above covers it in a few seconds, and here it is written out: Watch: Heated Seat Option for Your Walk-In Tub: Relaxed Bathing with a full transcript.

1. Push the heated seat button once and the heated seat activates.
2. For maximum comfort, turn it on 10 to 15 minutes before you enter the tub. That preheat is what makes the first touch of the seat pleasant instead of cold, especially while you wait for the tub to fill.
3. The heated seat turns off automatically after 20 minutes. This automatic shutoff is a built in feature, not a fault.
4. If you would like more warmth, just push the button again to restart it.

Where the Button Is

The heated seat has its own small keypad, separate from the therapy push buttons that run the jets. On most tubs it sits on the deck or on the front apron near the other controls; some owners look for it among the jet buttons and miss it. Press it once to turn the seat on and again to turn it off. Our push controls vs digital touchpad article shows the layout of the other buttons so the heat keypad is easy to pick out.

Good to Know

Watch: Answering Your Most Common Question about Walk-In Tubs with chapters and a full transcript.

This video answers the question Ella hears most, whether you get cold while the tub fills and drains. It shows the heated seat in context: push the button, wait a few minutes for the warmth to build, and it shuts itself off after 20 minutes and restarts with one press. It also covers the fast-fill faucets, the insulating acrylic walls, the in-line heater and the dual 2 inch drains that empty an average tub in about 80 seconds under ideal conditions. Our article on whether you get cold while the tub fills or drains goes into more detail.

Heated Seat vs In-Line Water Heater

These two features are often mixed up, and they are completely independent systems:

• The heated seat and backrest warms the surfaces of the seat and backrest with electric radiant pads and has its own keypad button. It works whether the tub is empty or full, which makes it wonderful during fill time and drain time.
• The in-line water heater maintains the temperature of the bath water and runs only while the hydro massage pump runs. It has no button of its own.

So if the water is warm but the seat is not, the heated seat system is the one to look at, and if the seat is warm but the bath is cooling, the in-line heater and your home hot water supply are the place to start.

If the Seat Does Not Feel Warm

First, give it the full 10 to 15 minute preheat, since the warmth builds gradually. Second, remember the 20 minute automatic shutoff; if it was switched on a while ago, it has likely simply completed its cycle and one more press restarts it. Third, confirm the option is actually on your order, since the heated seat is an add-on. On a soaking tub ordered with only the heated seat, the electrical requirement is a 15A, 120V line, and jetted tubs use the dedicated GFCI protected circuits shown on your model's electrical schematic, so it is also worth confirming with your installer that the tub's GFCI breaker is on and has not tripped and that the heater box cord is plugged into a live outlet in the equipment compartment. If the indicator never lights after those checks, open a ticket with your serial number and the team can send a replacement keypad or heater box. On a two-seat tub where only one seat warms, see two-seat tub: one side not working.

Adding a Heated Seat to a Standard Order

A heated seat and backrest can be added to any standard order as a regular option, so if you are still configuring your tub, simply include it. Clearance and warehouse units are the exception: those tubs are sold exactly as configured and are not modified, so a heated seat cannot be added to a clearance unit. Our article on what can and cannot be customized covers the other add-ons.

Related Guides

• Heated Seat and Back Not Warming Up: Checking the Control Box LED and the Button Prongs
• How Do I Install the Heated Seat and Back Pads on My Walk-In Tub?
• Does My Ella Tub Include an In-Line Heater? Hydro, Air-Only, Soaker and Clearance Units
• Does Ella Offer Auto Fill or Emergency Lowering Features on Walk-In Tubs?
• Heated Seat Not Warming Up: What to Check First and Which Parts Support Ships
• Digital Keypad or Push Buttons: Which Therapies It Controls and Which Is Easier to Use

Common Questions

Still need help? Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and our team will be glad to walk through it with you.