The drain on an Ella walk-in tub is opened and closed from the deck. Turning the drain handle operates a cable that runs down to the drain body and raises or lowers the stopper, so you never reach into the water or press the stopper by foot. When the drain will not open, the fault is nearly always the handle, the set screw that holds it, or the cable. The small lever at the drain body is rarely the problem. The support team also has a short video explaining the drain cable and can send it on request.

What the Handle and Cable Do

The drain handle sits on the tub deck. A cable connects the handle to a small lever at the drain body. Turning the handle one way pulls the cable and lifts the stopper so the tub drains. Turning it back releases the cable so the stopper drops and seals. The emergency pull-up chain does the same job by hand and is a backup for a moment when the handle cannot be reached or does not respond. What the emergency pull-up chain is covers how it is used.

Because the stopper is raised and lowered from the deck, it should never be stepped on or pushed down by hand. Doing so can knock it off its seat. If that has already happened, follow what to do if the stopper was pushed down by hand.

When the Drain Will Not Open

Work through these in order. The first one is more common than a broken part.

1. Turn the handle fully to its stop. Support regularly hears from bathers whose only problem was a handle that had not been turned far enough.
2. Check whether the handle is turning the shaft. A handle that spins freely has lost its grip. The set screw in the handle takes a 2.5 mm metric hex key, a size found in most hex key sets, and there is no exact imperial equivalent. Snug it against the shaft so the handle moves the cable instead of spinning. Why the drain handles are loose and how to tighten them has the full procedure.
3. Inspect the cable. If the handle turns the shaft but the stopper does not move, the cable has stretched, slipped, or broken, or the handle mechanism itself has failed. Replacement and height adjustment are covered in replacing the drain cable and adjusting drain height.

The lever at the drain body that the cable moves is rarely the failed part. If it looks intact in a photo, a new lever will not change anything, and support will point you back to the cable or the handle mechanism. Send a clear photo of the lever with your ticket so this can be ruled out quickly.

Reaching the Drain Without Pulling the Tub

You do not usually need to pull the tub to service the drain or the cable. The front apron is removable, and that opening gives access to the drain body, the cable run, and the back of the handle. There is a good chance the tub can be put back in working order in place. The same is often true of the control buttons on the deck, although how easily a button is replaced depends on which generation of button your tub has, so include a photo of the buttons when you open a ticket.

The Drain Cable Video

Ella has a short video that shows the handle, cable and stopper in motion and walks through working on the drain. Open a ticket or call, and the support team will send the link along with any parts you need. Parts such as a drain cable ship to you, and a local plumber or handy family member does the work through the apron opening.

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.