Does the In-Line Water Heater Need Checking for the Warranty Activation Checklist?

The in-line water heater does not have a line of its own among the 16 checks on the warranty activation form, so there is no separate heater box for your installer to initial. It is still checked along the way: the water test in the owner's manual has the unions at the pump and heater inspected, and the activation form's pump check runs the hydro system for at least 20 minutes while every connection is confirmed watertight. All sixteen lines are explained in Before Your Installer Leaves: The 16 Checks Explained in Plain Language and Why Each One Protects Your Warranty, and this page shows exactly where the heater fits.

What the 16 Activation-Form Checks Actually List

The checklist on the activation form covers these sixteen items, and your installer initials each one:

1. Tub level in all directions, all support legs touching the ground
2. Installed by a licensed electrician
3. Installed on a dedicated GFCI circuit breaker
4. Frame of the tub properly grounded
5. Door seal cleaned with rubbing alcohol
6. Temperature control valve operated on both hot and cold, where your faucet package includes one
7. Both diverters function properly
8. Hand shower works on all settings without leaking
9. All supply lines checked for leaks with both diverters on
10. Drains open and close properly
11. Locking nut tightened on both stoppers
12. Door seal watertight after the tub has been filled for at least 20 minutes
13. Hydro and air pumps run at least 20 minutes, all connections to pumps and jets watertight
14. Chromatherapy light and ozone sterilization working
15. All drain fittings checked for leaks while the tub is draining
16. Unit installed with access to both plumbing and electrical connections

No line names the in-line heater. The temperature line on the form is about the temperature control valve at the faucet, which mixes hot and cold water as the tub fills. That is a different component from the in-line heater.

Where the Heater Is Covered in Practice

The heater is part of the hydro massage system, so it is covered by the checks that deal with that system.

• The pump run, check 13. The in-line water heater works together with the water pump. When hydro massage is engaged, the two maintain a consistent warm water temperature. Running the hydro pump for at least 20 minutes therefore puts the heater and its fittings to work, and the unions and jet fittings are checked under vibration and pressure.
• The electrical checks, 2 through 4. The heater is one of the tub's electrical components. A licensed electrician, a dedicated GFCI circuit breaker and a properly grounded frame protect every powered component on the tub, the heater included.
• The access check, 16. Installing the unit with access to both plumbing and electrical connections keeps the equipment reachable if a union ever needs attention.

You can tick each of these with your installer using the printable installer handoff test checklist, which puts the water test lines and the 16 form checks on one page.

The Water Test Is Where the Heater Is Named

The one place the heater is called out by name is the pre-installation water test in the owner's manual. This is a required check done before the walls are closed up, and it is separate from the 16 lines on the form. Shipping vibration can loosen unions and air lines, and the water test catches that while everything is still easy to reach.

1. Place the tub on a flat, level surface where it can drain.
2. Wipe the door seal clean, close the door and tape the drains closed.
3. Fill the tub to at least 3 inches above the highest jet.
4. Let the water stand for 30 minutes and inspect all plumbing and seals.
5. Run all electrical components for another 30 minutes on rated three-prong cords plugged into separate outlets.
6. Inspect the unions at the pump and heater again while the equipment runs.

The pumps should never be started until the water covers all jets, because running a pump dry harms it. The full procedure is in the pre-installation water test. Ella's installation tips video also shows the components being run with a flashlight inspection of every union.

What to Look for at the Heater

The heater's job is to maintain warmth. The short video on this page shows the idea: you set a comfortable temperature at the fast-fill faucet as the tub fills, and when you engage hydro massage the in-line heater, working with the water pump, keeps the water consistently warm.

For the checklist, the point to confirm is simple: the unions at the heater stay dry, both while the water stands and while the hydro system runs. A good handoff looks like this:

• The tub is filled above the highest jet before any pump is switched on.
• The hydro system runs for the full time the test and the form ask for, not a quick on and off.
• Your installer looks at the unions at the pump and the heater with a light while the system is running.
• The floor and the area under the equipment are dry at the end.

It is a nice idea to take a photo or two during the test, along with the photos of the breaker label and the frame ground. They sit well beside your signed form in your tub documents.

If the Heater Check Was Skipped, or You Installed the Tub Yourself

If your installer finished without running the hydro system or looking at the heater unions, ask them to come back, run the check and complete and sign the installer page. The pump run is line 13 of the form, so it needs to be done before that line is initialed.

If you set the tub yourself, you complete the installer section and initial the checklist items you completed. The form still asks for the license and insurance information of the licensed trades who made the connections. The details are in who signs the installer part of the warranty form after a self installation.

When the checks are done, submit the form at ellasbubbles.com/warranty-activation/. If the online form gives you an error, the fixes are in the warranty activation troubleshooting guide. If you see moisture at a heater union during any test, send a photo and your serial number through a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support, or reach your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: In-line Water Heater Maintains Comfortable Water Temperature with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Are the Heated Seat and In-Line Water Heater Covered by the Warranty?
• In-Line Heater Light Stays Off and the Water Cools: How to Check It and Get a Replacement

Common Questions