Support Center / Troubleshooting & Repairs / Pump or Massage System Not Working: Connections, Relay Switch, and What to Check First
Back to Troubleshooting & Repairs

Pump or Massage System Not Working: Connections, Relay Switch, and What to Check First

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary8
  1. Start Here: Know Your Therapy Package
  2. Check Power Before Anything Else
  3. How the Push Control Activates the Pump
  4. Check the Connection Between the Push Control and the Control Box
  5. Tubs with Two or Three Massage Systems: Check Every Pump
  6. Still Not Running?
  7. Related Guides
  8. Common Questions

If your walk-in tub pump is not working and the jets or massage system will not turn on, please do not assume the pump has failed. In most of the cases the technical support team sees, the cause is a loose connection, a tripped outlet, or a small air lock in the control line, and all of these are things you can check yourself in a few minutes. Ella walk-in tubs use pneumatic push controls, which means the button on the deck sends an air signal through a thin tube to a relay switch inside the control box, and that relay is what powers the pump. This guide walks through the checks in the order the team uses them.

Start Here: Know Your Therapy Package

The first question the team asks on any jet or pump ticket is which therapy package is on your order, because the package determines which pumps and components your tub actually has. A hydro massage package has one hydro pump, a hydro plus air package has two pumps, and triple massage configurations have three. Your order confirmation lists the package, and your serial number lets the team look it up for you. Knowing the package tells you which components to check and keeps you from troubleshooting equipment your tub was never built with. The therapy package cheat sheet lists the pumps, heater and controls that come with each package.

Check Power Before Anything Else

Every Ella massage system runs on a dedicated, GFCI protected line, and a tripped GFCI or breaker is one of the most common causes of a completely unresponsive tub. Press the reset button on the GFCI outlet or breaker serving the tub, and confirm the breaker in your panel is on. Our article on electrical requirements by model covers the circuits each configuration needs, and if the tub went dark after a storm, see nothing works after a power outage.

Next, look at the control box behind the access panel. The control box has a green LED power indicator, and when the green light is on, power is reaching the box. If the green light is off, no power is flowing to the control box, and the problem is upstream in the outlet, cord, or circuit rather than in the tub itself. Also confirm the water is above the highest jets: the tub is designed to run only when the jets are submerged, and running a pump dry causes permanent damage.

How the Push Control Activates the Pump

Ella Walk-In Tub Relay Switch and Pneumatic Push Control

Inside the control box is a relay switch, and it is what activates the electricity to the pump. When you press the deck button, air travels down the tube and pushes the relay switch, so the whole system is pneumatic. Sometimes the air tube becomes air locked, meaning air is compressed inside the line and it stops sending a clean signal. The fix is simple: Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Relieving Air Lock at the pump connection with a full transcript.

  1. Disconnect the air tube from the relay switch fitting on the control box.
  2. Let the line relieve itself for a moment so the trapped air escapes.
  3. Reconnect the tube firmly to the relay switch fitting.

When you press a button you should hear an audible click inside the control box; that click is the relay being activated. A click with no pump means the problem is downstream at the pump or its cord; no click means the air signal is not arriving.

Check the Connection Between the Push Control and the Control Box

Ella Walk-In Tub Push Control to Control Box Connection Check
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Understanding Air Signal Connections The technician explains how the push control sends an air signal to the control box via an air tube.
  2. 0:51 Securing Control Box Connections The technician demonstrates how to firmly plug the air tube onto the nipple of the control box.
  3. 1:03 Checking The Button Connection The technician shows how to retrieve the button from its housing using a flat screwdriver.
  4. 1:21 Securing The Pump Connection The technician pulls out the black pump part and secures the connection with the lock nut and hose.
  5. 1:40 Reassembling The Button The technician puts the pump and button back in place, securing it with the chrome ring.

When one massage system is not working, most of the time it is because there is no connection between the push control and the control box. The push control sends its air signal through a small air tube, and that tube must be secure at both ends. Watch: How to Secure Air & Hydro Connections in Your Walk-In Tub with chapters and a full transcript.

  1. At the control box, confirm the air tube is seated on its fitting. Plug it firmly onto the nipple, twisting and pushing at the same time to secure the connection.
  2. At the deck button, check the connection behind the button itself. Take a fine flat screwdriver, work it gently around the chrome ring, and pry the button out of its housing.
  3. Pull out the small black pump piece behind the button to reach the connection, then check the lock nut and the hose. If the hose is disconnected, reconnect it and make sure the lock nut is secure.
  4. Push the assembly back into place, replace the button, and press the chrome ring back on to hold it.

If a hose keeps popping off a button, the push-button air hose article covers which port each hose belongs on and how to reseat one that will not stay put.

Tubs with Two or Three Massage Systems: Check Every Pump

Ella Walk-In Tub Multiple Pump Connection Check
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Troubleshooting Massager Malfunctions The technician explains that a common problem with massagers not working is an unplugged pump or component.
  2. 0:27 Checking Pump Power Connections The technician advises checking the pump and its power cord to ensure it is properly powered up.
  3. 0:42 Verifying Control Box Power The technician shows how to check the control box for a green light indicator, which means power is flowing to it.

On tubs with multiple massage systems, especially triple massage configurations such as the Ultimate, a single unplugged component can take out one whole system while the others work normally. On a triple massage tub, the control box runs two pumps, the air pump and the water pump, while the third pump is powered together with the in-line heater on its own line. If just one of your massage systems is dead: Watch: Proper Electrical Connections with chapters and a full transcript.

  • Open the access panel and find the pump for the system that is not working.
  • Check that the pump is plugged in and that its power cord is seated and undamaged.
  • Confirm power is reaching that circuit, since the third pump and heater run on a separate line from the control box.
Front view of a black Ella walk-in tub hydro pump motor with its intake port and wiring leads
Each massage system has its own pump; on a triple massage tub, check the cord and outlet of the pump that is silent.

Still Not Running?

If the connections are secure, the green light is on, and a system still will not start, see our articles on touchpad and push control troubleshooting and on resetting the control box. Pumps, blowers and control components are covered under the Lifetime Limited Warranty for the original owner, and replacement pumps are available for any Ella tub. When you contact the team, please have your therapy package, your serial number, a photo of the pump label, and a short video of what happens when you press each button, and the team can often diagnose the relay, control box or pump by video and ship the part for your plumber to fit.

If the small fitting where the air tube connects has snapped off rather than just come loose, see the air tube fitting on my hydro pump snapped off: what part do I need for how to identify the hydro air switch and what to send the team.

If the pumps run but only the ozone (O3) button does nothing, see Ozone (O3) Button Does Nothing: Checking the Relay Click, the Air Tube, and Swapping Relays to Test.

Common Questions

The tub was just installed and nothing runs. What should I check?
Check that every pump cord is plugged in behind the access panel, that each dedicated GFCI line is live, and that the water is above the highest jets before pressing anything. The heater light being on does not prove the pump circuit has power.
On the Ultimate the back jets, air and light work but the foot jets do not.
If the back jets, air, and light work on your Ultimate walk-in tub but the foot jets do not, the foot pump is likely on the second circuit with the in-line heater. First, check that the dedicated GFCI outlet or breaker serving this circuit is reset and on. Then, open the access panel and confirm that the foot pump's power cord is securely plugged in and undamaged.
The hydro pump hums but will not start.
Switch it off so it does not overheat. Confirm the water level, relieve any air lock at the relay, and check the pump cord. A pump that still only hums needs the team to look at it with your serial number and a short video.
The pump comes on as soon as the tub gets power and will not shut off.
That points to the pneumatic button or its air tube rather than the pump. Pull the small tube off the button, blow gently through it to clear it, refit it firmly at both ends, then try the control box reset. A relay that has stuck closed can also hold a pump on; in that case switch the circuit off and open a ticket.
Is there a reset button or fuse on the tub?
Ella walk-in tub pumps and motors do not have a reset button or fuse. Resetting the system involves restoring power by pressing the reset button on the GFCI outlet or confirming the breaker in your electrical panel is on. If needed, you can also perform the control box reset procedure using the config button on the control box.
My electrician says power is fine but nothing runs.
If your electrician confirms power is fine but nothing runs, the issue may be with the pneumatic air signal system. Check that each small air tube is firmly seated on its nipple fitting at the control box. Also, inspect the connection behind each deck button by gently prying out the button with a flat screwdriver to ensure the air tube is on and the lock nut is tight. When you press a button, you should hear an audible click inside the control box, indicating the relay is being activated.
Do you sell replacement pumps for older tubs?
Yes, Ella's Bubbles sells replacement pumps for older walk-in tubs. To confirm the correct pump for your tub, please open a support ticket with your tub's model, serial number, and a photo of the pump label. The technical support team will then be able to identify and confirm the appropriate replacement pump.
The pump smoked and died. What does replacing it involve?
The hydro pump is held by three mounting bolts and joined with two threaded PVC unions; undo those and the pump comes out. The pump ships as a warranty part; the labor to swap it is not covered. The unions at the pump and in line heater are nominal 2 inch PVC, and after a swap the intake union is the usual first place a drip shows up.
The pump smelled hot during the installer's test. Should I wait and see?
No, if the pump smelled hot during the installer's test, you should not wait and see. Report this issue immediately before the walls are closed around the tub. Ensure this observation is noted on the activation paperwork so it is officially on record with Ella's Bubbles.

For anything specific to your model or serial number, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850. The team is glad to help.

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.

Related guides

Did this solve your question?

If not, open a ticket and our team will pick it up from here.

Open a Support Ticket