What electrical circuit does an Ella walk-in tub need, 15, 20 or 40 amp?

An Ella walk-in tub with pumps runs on dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt GFCI protected circuits, one for every labeled power cord on the tub, and its control boxes are marked to connect only to a branch circuit with overcurrent protection rated 20 amps or less, so a 40 amp circuit is not what the tub is wired for and should not feed it. The published 15 amp cases are narrow: the Flow's spec sheet calls for one dedicated 15 amp GFCI line, and a soaking tub whose only electrical item is the heated seat and back is drawn at 15 amps because it has no pumps. How Many GFCI Circuits Does My Walk-In Tub Need? gives the line count rule for the whole line; this page sorts the 15, 20 and 40 amp question by package, explains what a heated seat does to the count, and defines the double drain that comes up in the same conversation with an electrician and a plumber.

15, 20 or 40 Amps, by Package

The circuit requirement follows the therapy package rather than the model name, because the pumps and heaters are what draw the current. Every cord on the tub carries a factory label, and on a two line tub the stickers read Line 1 20 Amp and Line 2 20 Amp. The table collects the published line counts and ratings.

What the differences mean: 20 amps at 120 volts is the published standard for every Ella tub with a pump, and the count of lines, not the rating, is what changes from package to package. Fifteen amps appears only where there is no pump at all or on the Flow's own spec sheet; the GFCI article notes a 15 amp line can work on some lighter packages, but 20 is what Ella publishes, so plan 20. A 40 amp circuit appears nowhere in the published requirements. What people describe as a whirlpool is the hydro massage system on an Ella spec sheet, and its pump runs on the same 20 amp line as any other Ella pump; the ShaK's spec sheet, for example, lists a 9 amp 900 watt seat hydro pump, a 7 amp 900 watt foot pump, a 6 amp 650 watt in-line heater and a 4.5 amp 500 watt air pump, which is why those loads are split across separate 20 amp lines rather than fed from one large breaker. If a 40 amp breaker is already in the room from a previous spa, it is not what should feed an Ella tub.

Does a Heated Seat Change the Circuit?

The heated seat and backrest does not take a circuit of its own. Its surface heater pads are fed from the master control box, the blue box by the motor that also runs the air pump, water pump and LED from labeled ports. What the heated seat changes is the line count: an air plus hydro tub that runs on one line moves to two dedicated 20 amp lines once the heated seat is added, which is why the heated seat variants sit in the two line group in the GFCI article. The only time the heated seat sets the rating rather than the count is on a soaking tub with no pumps, where the schematic calls out 15 amp, 120 volt because the heater pads are the only load. What the Full Push-Control Package Schematic Shows walks through how the heated seat is powered inside the fullest package, and the digital controller version of the same package is explained in What the Full Digital Controller Package Schematic Shows; both run on two dedicated 20 amp lines.

Why 15 Amp Receptacles Cause Trouble on a 20 Amp Tub

Some master control boxes carry a true 20 amp plug with one blade turned sideways, and that plug will not fit a 15 amp receptacle. Installers meet this when only the microbubble runs because its cord was the only one that fit; the fix is a 20 amp receptacle, not an adapter. A few other rules save a call on install day. Two labeled cords must never share one GFCI, because the breaker trips as soon as the second pump starts. One GFCI, at the breaker or at the receptacle, is sufficient, so there is no need to double up protection. The outlets belong under the seat area, inside or directly behind the equipment compartment, so every pump and heater cord reaches without an extension cord, and other appliances stay at least 3 feet from the tub. A three pump tub has more cords than control box ports because the third pump is powered with the in-line heater on its own line. Which Cord Plugs In Where on My Walk-In Tub? matches each labeled cord to its box and outlet.

What a Double Drain Is

The double drain is Ella's 2 inch T-type dual port floor drain, fitted on the tubs that use it: two independent 2 inch drains with four 2 inch ports in total, so the drain pipe can be installed in either direction and the house drain can connect to either port or to both. Two end caps are included to close any ports that go unused. For your plumber it means the drain line can come from whichever side suits the room, and a Y fitting into the house drain is preferred over a T. It is a plumbing term, not an electrical one, but it comes up in the same planning conversation because the drain end and the outlet location are both fixed by the model and door hand before the floor is closed.

What to Give Your Electrician Before Rough-In

Count the labeled cords on the tub, or read the package sheet packed with it; each cord equals one dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt GFCI circuit. The tub cannot share a circuit with any other appliance, and the breaker panel must use GFCI protected breakers, with the amperage set by the number and type of components in your package. The video below shows where Ella publishes the electrical requirements for each jetting package, including how many plugs and how many lines a given tub needs. If you would rather have it in hand, the team can email the electrical diagram for your model and package so your electrician has the line count and outlet location before rough-in; reach them through ellasbubbles.com/support or at (800) 480-6850. For the one single seat model that reaches three lines, What electrical circuits does the Ella ShaK need for all four therapies? lists every pump and its published amperage.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Proper Electrical Installation For Your Walk-In Tub with chapters and a full transcript.

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