If the pump turns on as soon as the tub is plugged in, unplug it right away and leave it unplugged until the cause is found. A pump that runs without water above all the jets is permanently damaged, and that damage is not covered, so the first thing to check is where its cord is plugged in. On an Ella walk-in tub the pump cords plug into the control box, and the control box is what plugs into the dedicated GFCI outlet. A pump plugged straight into a wall outlet has no switch in front of it, so it runs the moment it gets power. That one mix-up explains most reports of motors coming on during install.

Likely Causes

• A pump cord plugged directly into a wall outlet or splitter instead of its port on the control box.
• A push button stuck in the down position (an air lock in its air tube), which keeps sending a run signal to the box.
• A control box fault, confirmed from photos once the cord and button checks are done.

What to Check, in Order

1. Unplug every cord behind the front apron so nothing can run dry while you work. See why the water level matters before running the jets.
2. Open the access panels and identify the control box. Tubs with a heated seat use a master control box with ports for the heater pads, air pump, water pump and power input, plus air tube nipples for each deck button. The cords and control boxes guide shows the layout for every package.
3. Follow each pump cord to its end. The water pump and air pump must plug into their labeled ports on the control box, never into a wall outlet. Only the control box power cord, and on some packages a separately powered pump and heater, go to the dedicated GFCI outlets.
4. Check the plug type. One master box uses a standard three prong 15 amp plug; the other uses a 20 amp plug with one horizontal blade that needs a 20 amp receptacle.
5. Look at the deck push buttons. If one is sitting down and will not pop up, pull its air tube off the nipple at the control box, let the button pop up, then push the tube firmly back on and listen for the click inside the box when you press the button.
6. If the cords and buttons are right and the pump still starts on its own, run the control box reset: label and disconnect every tube and connector, restore power, hold the config button through the green LED blink sequence, then reconnect and test each function.
7. A box with no green power light or erratic behavior after a reset is covered in control box has no power light.

When to Open a Ticket

If the pump still starts on its own after the cord check, the button check and the reset, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model and serial number, a photo of the control box with every cord and tube visible, a photo of the outlets, and how long the pump ran without water. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 will confirm the cause from those photos.

The video points out each port on the master control box, heater pad, air pump, water pump and power input, then the button air tube nipples, display port and LED connector, and shows the 20 amp plug with one horizontal blade that needs a 20 amp receptacle.

Common Questions