How do I get a replacement plastic cap for my whirlpool pump?

The fastest way to get a replacement plastic cap for the pump on your Ella walk-in tub is to send a photo. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with your model and serial number, a close photo of the broken cap and a wider shot showing where it sits on the pump, and the team matches the exact cap from the picture rather than from a description. On an Ella tub the whirlpool and air system, including its pumps, motors and electronic controls, is covered as parts under the Lifetime Limited Warranty, so once the defect is verified the replacement ships free of charge. If the cap you are missing turns out to be the colored cap on a faucet handle rather than a pump part, Where Do I Get Replacement Hot and Cold Handles for My Walk-In Tub Faucet? covers that route.

Why the Team Asks for a Photo

A pump has several small caps, and the team matches the exact one from a picture rather than a description. A phrase like the white cap on the pump can describe more than one part, and a cap ordered from a description can turn out to be the wrong one, which costs you a second round. Two photos settle it the first time:

• A close photo of the broken cap, or of the spot where it belongs if the cap is gone altogether.
• A wider shot that shows where the cap sits on the pump, so the team can see which pump and which position on it you mean.

Add your model and serial number, and a short description of what happened to the cap, such as cracked, stripped or missing after service. With those details the team identifies the part for your specific tub, and the ticket keeps the photos and numbers together so nothing has to be resent.

Where to Find Your Model and Serial Number

The serial number is on the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door. The model, SKU and UPC appear on your proposal or invoice, so have your order paperwork nearby when you write in. If you cannot find the paperwork, the serial number on its own lets the team look up the tub.

Check That It Is Really a Pump Cap

Several small plastic caps live on an Ella walk-in tub, and each one follows a slightly different route, so it helps to confirm which one you are looking at before you write in.

• Caps on the pump itself. The subject of this page. Photograph it, open a ticket, and the team matches it from the picture under the parts warranty.
• The red and blue caps on the 5-piece faucet. Each hot and cold handle has a colored cap over an Allen bolt, and handle caps, indicator buttons and set screws are small stock parts matched from a photo of your faucet type. The guide to which Allen wrench removes the faucet handles shows what sits under that cap.
• The decorative bolt cover on the 2-piece faucet. The single lever is held by an Allen bolt hidden under this cover. If the lever keeps dropping off, the bolt beneath it has loosened or gone missing, and Why Does My Faucet Handle Keep Falling Off? explains what to check.
• The cap over the swivel tray fitting. The threaded fitting near the door is covered by a cap when the tray is off, and a cap screws on to secure the tray pin when it is in use. If that is the piece you lost, see the swivel tray guide, since the tray and its mounting flange are replaceable accessories.

How the Warranty Applies to Pump Parts

The Lifetime Limited Warranty covers the bathtub and all of its supporting equipment, including motors, pumps and electronic controls, as parts only. It is extended to the first purchaser at the original installation address, it is nontransferable, and it is void if ownership changes or the tub is relocated. Verification means photos of the defective part plus a description of the problem, and once the defect is verified the replacement part ships to that address without charge.

Labor is not covered, and Ella does not send technicians. Your own plumber, handyman or installer fits the cap once it arrives, which for a small cap is usually a quick job. Free lifetime technical support by phone and email is available to you and your contractor if a question comes up during the swap.

One exclusion is worth knowing. Bath oils, bath beads and fragrance oils can get stuck in the jet and air pumps, foul the lines and damage the motors, and that kind of damage is not a warranty matter. If oils have been going through the jets, Can I use essential oils in a walk-in tub with jets? explains the vinegar flush and the aromatherapy canister that keeps oils out of the pump.

If Your Tub Is Not an Ella Tub

Searches for a whirlpool pump cap often come from owners of other brands. Ella matches parts for its own tubs, and if the tub is not an Ella tub the team may not be able to supply that part. In that case the tub's manufacturer, or where you purchased it, is the right place to ask, and a photo of the cap and the pump label will help them just as it helps the Ella team.

Related Guides

• Ordering a Replacement Air, Hydro or Microbubble Pump: What to Send So the Right One Ships
• Where to find your walk-in tub model and serial numbers
• Common Questions About Replacement Parts: Parts Lists, Diagrams, Photos, Addresses and Old-Part Returns

Common Questions