Which tubs with independent foot massage run on one dedicated circuit?

None of them, and that is worth settling before any wire is run. Every Ella walk-in tub built with independent foot massage carries two hydro pumps, one for the seat jets and one for the foot and calf jets, each with its own on and off control and intensity dial, and the published requirement for that equipment is two dedicated, GFCI protected 120 volt 20 amp outlets. The air plus hydro plus independent foot package is listed for the Royal, Monaco, Elite, Capri, Shak, Transfer60, Transfer32 and TransferXXL on the drawing explained in What the Air + Hydro + Hydro Foot Schematic Shows: Three Systems, Push Controls, Load 1 and Load 2, and the Ultimate comes with independent foot massage as standard, but each of them still needs that second line. If one dedicated circuit is what you have today, a package without independent foot massage fits it.

Dedicated Lines by Therapy Package

Ella walk-in tubs are plug-in, never hardwired. Each labeled line on the tub ends in a standard three-prong plug, and the package, not the model name, sets how many lines there are. The table puts the published counts side by side so you can see where independent foot massage lands.

What the differences mean: the step from one line to two happens the moment a second pump is added, and independent foot massage is a second pump by definition. Hydro alone, air alone, or air plus hydro on a single-seat tub runs on one dedicated 20 amp GFCI circuit. Everything with the foot pump sits at two, and the count stops at two on most single-seat tubs even with microbubble and the heated seat and back added, as How many dedicated circuits does a fully loaded single-seat walk-in tub need? works through. Only the Shak and the Big4One with the digital full package are published at three. The exact count for your tub is listed under the jetting packages tab on the website and on your model's spec sheet.

Why the Second Pump Means a Second Line

The first video on this page explains the design choice behind the count. Ella uses two separate pumps, one for the seat jets and one for the foot jets, where other makers use one pump and a diverter valve that takes power from one side to feed the other. Two pumps let you run full power to just your feet or to your whole body, with an intensity dial on each side. On the push-control drawing those two pumps sit alongside the air massage pump with Auto Purge, the electronic control box, the LED chromatherapy light, the in-line water heater and the ozone generator, and the control box splits its two loads across the two outlets. The fullest version of that drawing, which adds the microbubble pump and pressure vessel for the Transfer60, TransferXXL and Ultimate, is explained in What the Air + Hydro + Hydro Foot + Microbubble Schematic Shows. One planning point follows from all of this: independent foot massage cannot be added afterward, because the second pump, its dedicated jets and its dial are built into the tub at the factory. If you want it, decide at order time and plan two circuits; if one circuit is all the panel can spare, choose hydro or air plus hydro.

The Air System's Requirement, and Whether a Plug-In GFCI Receptacle Is Acceptable

For an air massage package the schematic calls for one wall outlet that is GFCI protected on a dedicated line, 20 amp and 120 volts, with the variable speed air pump rated 110 to 120 volts at 4.5 amps. A plug-in GFCI receptacle is acceptable. The protection can be at the receptacle or at the breaker, and Ella recommends a GFCI receptacle in or behind the equipment compartment under the seat so it can be reset through the access panel instead of at the panel board. The second video, Ella's electrical installation guide, adds that the breaker box must use GFCI protected breakers and that the tub cannot share a circuit with any other appliance, so talk the arrangement through with your electrician and make sure every line is protected either way. Check the plug on the master control box: if it carries the 20 amp plug with one blade turned sideways, the receptacle has to be the matching 20 amp type, because a standard 15 amp receptacle will not accept it. The line must be dedicated with no other appliance on it, installed and tested by a licensed electrician, and extension cords must never be used to power the unit. Outlet counts differ by model and package, with some air plus hydro schematics showing one outlet and hydro plus independent foot showing two, so confirm the count for your exact model and package before rough-in.

Planning the Rough-In

The best place for the outlets is inside or directly behind the equipment compartment under the seat, so every factory cord reaches without an extension and the GFCI can be reset without pulling the tub apart. Keep other appliances at least 3 feet away and leave the compartment uninsulated. Two exceptions are worth a look before the walls close: the Flow is specified for a 15 amp outlet, and a soaking tub whose only electrical item is the heated seat and backrest needs a 15 amp, 120 volt line because it has no pumps. Outlet placement, cord reach and the 20 amp receptacle are covered in Where to Put the Outlet: Seat-Side Placement, Cord Reach, the 20 Amp Receptacle, GFCI Under the Tub, and the Three Foot Rule, and a worked example for one model, package by package, is in How Many 20 Amp Circuits Does the Ella Monaco Walk-In Tub Need?. A licensed electrician can confirm what your panel will carry, and the team at (800) 480-6850 can walk through the exact configuration on your order.

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