Getting Into a Transfer Tub: Three Entry Methods and How the L-Door Is Built, on Video

A Transfer tub is built so that nothing stands between the bather and the seat. Because the L-shaped door swings outward and there is no sidewall beside the seat, you can get in three ways: transfer directly from a wheelchair, sit on the seat and swing your legs in, or simply step in and sit down. This walkthrough follows a factory presentation video that explains those three methods, how the door itself is built, and why the faucet, drains and grab bars are laid out the way they are.

The Video

Here is what the presenter covers, in order. Watch: Wheelchair Transfer Walk-In Tubs Designed for Easy Access | Voted Safest/Best 2020 with chapters and a full transcript.

1. The lock and the lineup. The outward-swing door seals with a silky two-pin locking system that the presenter compares to a vault door, and the Transfer series comes in five sizes, each configured to order with the therapy packages and options below. The current spec sheets describe this as the two-latch gear and shaft mechanism.
2. Three ways in. First, a wheelchair user wheels up beside the tub, drops the chair arm and transfers straight onto the seat, then closes the door. Second, a more mobile bather sits on the seat and swings both feet into the tub. Third, anyone can step in and sit as with any walk-in tub, but with far more open room to do it.
3. How the door is built. The door is heavy enough that removing it is nearly a two-person job. The milled hinges are mortised into the door, everything is powder coated, the pins and Allen hardware are stainless steel, and the door seal is integrated as a permanent part of the door with no glue. The ergonomic handle swings the door closed and locks it tight.
4. Grab bar placement. Grab bars are placed for the bather: one for standing up from the seat and one for getting in and out.
5. High-flow faucet and drains. The faucet is a 3/4 inch faucet with 3/4 inch braided supply lines and a valve piped for 3/4 inch throughout, so flow is unrestricted regardless of the home's own pipe size; it allows up to 18 gallons per minute if the house can supply that volume. Two 2 inch drains take the water out in a hurry.
6. Jet layout and controls. Four foot jets, jets behind the legs, air jets around the base of the seat and on the floor, and more jets on the back. Pump configurations, air jets, microbubble, heated seats, LED chromatherapy and aromatherapy are all options, and the demonstration tub was built with digital controls.
7. Fitting the bathroom. The winged upper portion of the door is shaped so it swings over the top of a toilet, which lets this oversized tub go into a tight vanity, toilet, tub layout.
8. Widths. The family runs from 26 inches wide to 36 inches wide, so there is a Transfer tub for nearly every space and bather. The presenter shows the widest model with a seat he describes as a full 28 inches; the current spec sheet lists that seat at 29 inches, and the spec sheet governs.

The Five Sizes at a Glance

• Transfer26: 26 by 52 inches, 19 inch seat.
• Transfer30: 30 by 52 inches, 22 inch seat.
• Transfer32: 32 by 52 inches, 24 inch seat.
• Transfer60: 30 by 60 inches, 22 inch seat.
• TransferXXL: 36 by 55 inches, 29 inch seat.

All five share the L-shaped outward-swing door, the two-latch lock, deck and wall grab bars, dual 2 inch drains and the Ella fast-fill faucet. The presenter describes the swing as a complete 180 degrees; the spec drawings list the door opening at 172 degrees, so allow clear floor space in front of the tub for the swing.

Two Habits That Keep the Door Sealing

The owner's manual adds two points worth knowing before your first bath. Because the seal is a permanent part of the door, leaving the door open between baths lets the seal recover its shape. And a door that will not seal is almost always a leveling matter rather than a seal fault: the tub must sit level on its adjustable legs for the two latches to pull the door evenly into the gasket. Day-to-day handle use, closing and draining are covered in the separate article on operating the L-shape transfer door.

Common Questions

How do I get into a transfer tub from a wheelchair? Position the chair alongside the tub with the door open, drop the chair arm, slide across onto the seat, bring your legs in, then close and latch the door before filling.

How is the transfer door built and how far does it open? Plastic composite and tempered glass in a powder-coated frame with mortised hinges, stainless pins and an integrated seal, locked by the two-latch gear and shaft mechanism; the spec drawings show a 172 degree swing.

How fast can the transfer tub fill? The 3/4 inch faucet and supply lines allow up to 18 gallons per minute at 60 PSI under ideal in-home plumbing; your home's water pressure and volume set the real rate.

How wide are the transfer tubs? 26, 30, 32 and 36 inches wide, with the Transfer60 at 30 inches wide by 60 inches long.

Where are the grab bars? One deck-mounted and one wall-mounted chrome grab bar, positioned for standing up and for entering and exiting; the Transfer60 video also shows a bar on the door.

For anything specific to your transfer tub or your order, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850.

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