When the magnetic access panel will not go back on after you have removed it, the trick is the black plates along the apron opening. The upper part of the panel slides under those plates, and the corners are the last part to seat. Get the top edge of the panel under the plates before you press the corners in, and the magnets will catch. If the panel goes on but keeps popping off, the magnets are not making contact with the panel and need to be adjusted or reinforced, which is a job for your installer or a handy person with a screwdriver.

Why the Panel Comes Off in the First Place

Most people remove the access panel to reach the GFCI reset button, the control boxes or the pump. A microbubble or pump system that goes quiet is often back in service after one press of that reset button, so the panel comes off more often than you might expect. It should pull away with light pressure. If it came off easily, nothing is broken; the panel simply needs to go back on in the right order. If it fell off on its own, the panel is not contacting its magnets, and the likely cause is covered in why the front panel keeps popping off.

Refitting the Panel

1. Look at the apron opening and find the small black plates along the top edge. These are the pressure plates the upper part of the panel tucks under.
2. Hold the panel at a slight angle and slide its upper edge up under the black plates. Do not force one corner in ahead of the other.
3. With the top edge under the plates, swing the rest of the panel in and press the two upper corners toward the tub at the same time. You should feel the magnets grab.
4. Run your hand around the perimeter. The panel should sit flat with no gap and no rocking.

If One Corner Will Not Go in

A corner that refuses to seat is usually being pushed in at the wrong angle, before the top edge is fully under the plates. Back the panel out and try again with the upper edge tucked in first. If the panel sits flat but pops back off, one or more magnets are not reaching the panel face. On tubs that have been leveled after installation, the apron height can change enough that the magnets no longer meet the panel; apron gap and flush fit adjustment explains how the leveling legs and brackets affect this.

Reinforcing the Magnets

When a panel repeatedly falls off, the magnets can be adjusted so they touch the panel, or reinforced with additional magnets behind the panel. Either fix can be done on site by your installer or contractor. If a magnet or bracket is cracked or missing, replacement parts ship under the parts warranty; see replacing a broken front apron or its mounting brackets. When a contractor is working on the tub, have them call support from the site with your serial number, or call yourself, so the fix can be walked through in real time and recorded on your ticket. Reports passed along by a third party are hard to match to the right tub and slow the fix down.

Panels Held by Screws

Some front aprons are secured with screws and clips rather than magnets alone. If your panel has screw caps along the bottom, follow removing and reattaching the front apron instead of the magnetic method above.

Related Guides

• How Do I Get a Replacement Access Panel for My Walk-In Tub?
• End Panels, Extension Panels, and Aprons: Getting the Right Replacement Panel
• What Is an Access Panel on a Walk-In Tub?

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.