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Why Does Only One Side of My Two Seat Tub Massage?

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary5
  1. Likely Causes
  2. What to Check, in Order
  3. When to Open a Ticket
  4. Related Guides
  5. Common Questions

When only one side of your two seat tub massages, the good news is that the problem is almost always local to that side rather than a failure of the whole tub. On a two seat tub the digital controller runs the air massage, the seat hydro and the LED for both seats, but each side has its own foot hydro pump and dial, and its own heated seat box and keypad. So a dead foot well or a cold seat is diagnosed on that side's button, hose, relay and pump rather than on the digital controller. The first thing to check is power, because a two seat full package needs three dedicated circuits and a tripped GFCI on one line silences one side while the other keeps working. The dedicated guide is two seat tub, one side not working.

Likely Causes

  • The GFCI on one of the three dedicated circuits has tripped, cutting power to one side only.
  • Air is trapped in the push button hose on that side, so the relay never receives the signal to start the pump.
  • The push button hose has come loose from the relay on that side.
  • The heated seat keypad or heat box on that side is not getting power, so one seat stays cold while the other warms.
  • The affected side's pump has failed, which the team confirms from photos.

What to Check, in Order

  1. Reset every GFCI serving the tub. A full two seat package runs on three dedicated 20A, 120V GFCI lines, and a tripped breaker on one line takes out only the equipment on that line.
  2. Fill the tub at least 1 inch above the highest jets on the dead side and press that side's own foot button and dial. Do not use the digital controller to test the foot pump, because the foot pumps are separate.
  3. Relieve any air lock. Follow the steps in pump not working troubleshooting: unplug the button hose at that side's relay to release trapped air, then reconnect it firmly.
  4. Test the heated seat on the cold side with its own keypad. Press once to start; it preheats for 10 to 15 minutes and switches off automatically after 20 minutes, which is normal. Details are in heated seat and backrest.
  5. If your package includes independent foot massage, confirm the dead footwell is covered with water before judging it; an uncovered foot jet set will not massage.

When to Open a Ticket

If one side stays dead after the GFCI reset and the air lock check, send a photo of the breaker panel showing the tub circuits, a photo of that side's pump and relay under the tub, a short video of pressing that side's button, and your order details to your Ella dealer or the team at ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850. The team confirms from your photos whether the relay or pump needs attention.

Common Questions

Why is one heated seat warm and the other cold?
Each side of your two-seat tub has its own heated seat box and keypad, so if one heated seat is cold while the other is warm, the issue is specific to that side's components or power. A cold seat should be checked on its own keypad and power line. The heated seat preheats for 10 to 15 minutes and automatically switches off after 20 minutes, which is normal operation, so confirm the seat was not simply timed out.
Why can my client only operate one jet system at a time on the Transfer60?
The Transfer60 is a single seat Transfer tub, and each therapy on it has its own pump and button, so the systems should run together once the tub is filled past the highest jets. If starting one system stops another, check that every required dedicated GFCI line is present and live, then send a photo of the panel and the controls so the team can confirm the circuit count for your package.
Why is one foot well dead while the other works?
Each foot well in a two-seat tub has its own dedicated pump, dial, button, and hose, meaning a dead foot well is typically a localized issue. To troubleshoot, first reset the GFCI serving that side of the tub, then relieve any trapped air in the push button hose at that side's relay, and firmly reconnect the hose. Only after performing these checks should you consider the possibility that the pump has failed.
Does the digital controller run both sides of the tub?
It runs the air, seat hydro and LED for the whole tub, but the foot pumps and heated seats on each side have their own dedicated controls. A dead foot well or cold seat is diagnosed on its own button, hose, relay and pump rather than on the digital panel.

About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.

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