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Which Cord Plugs In Where on My Walk-In Tub?

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary5
  1. Likely Causes
  2. What to Check, in Order
  3. When to Open a Ticket
  4. Related Guides
  5. Common Questions

If you are asking which cord plugs where, the rule is simple: every pump, heater and control box on an Ella walk-in tub is labeled at the factory, each power cord goes to its own dedicated GFCI protected outlet, and the thin air hoses run from the deck push buttons to the nipples on the control box. The blue box by the motor is the master control box; it feeds the air pump, water pump, LED and heated seat from labeled ports. The first thing to check is the component diagram for your therapy package.

Likely Causes

  • The installer left several plugs unconnected without instructions.
  • A three pump tub powers the third pump with the in line heater on its own line, so there are more cords than box ports.
  • The big plug will not fit the GFCI because it is a 20 amp plug and the receptacle is a 15 amp type.
  • The outlets sit too far from the equipment compartment, so the cords cannot reach.

What to Check, in Order

  1. Count the lines. Your jetting package lists the dedicated 20A, 120V GFCI lines, and electrical requirements by model tabulates every configuration.
  2. Read the cord labels. Each labeled line goes to its own dedicated GFCI outlet; no two lines share a receptacle.
  3. Identify the blue box. The master control box takes power at its inlet and runs the air pump, water pump, LED and heated seat from labeled ports, with the push button air hoses on its nipples. A green light shows power is reaching it.
  4. Account for the extra cord on a three pump tub. The control box runs the air pump and one water pump; the third pump is powered with the in line heater on a separate line.
  5. Match the plug to the receptacle. A plug with one horizontal blade is a 20 amp plug and needs a 20 amp receptacle. If only the microbubble runs because that cord was the only one that fit, have your electrician change the receptacle.
  6. Fix reach at the outlet, never with an extension cord. Outlets belong in or behind the equipment compartment under the seat so every cord reaches. See outlet placement and cord reach.
  7. Seat the air hoses on their nipples. If several functions act up after reconnecting, follow the control box reset guide.
Gray and Blue Control Box Explanations
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Chromotherapy Control Box Explained The video explains the chromotherapy control box, showing how to power it and connect the LED light and air switch.
  2. 0:29 Air Massage Control Box Explained The video explains the air massage control box, demonstrating how to power it and connect the air pump and air switch.
  3. 0:50 Air Massage Speeds And Auto Purge The video details the three speeds and wave function of the air massage, along with the auto Purge feature.

In the video, the chromatherapy box takes power at the back, the LED on the three pin connector and the push button air hose on the nipple; the air only box takes power, the air pump on the three pin connector and the air switch on the nipple, and the Auto Purge runs from it, starting about 20 minutes after the air pump is turned off and running for 120 seconds. Watch: Gray and Blue Control Box Explanations with chapters and a full transcript.

When to Open a Ticket

If the cords remain unclear, open a ticket with your order number, model and therapy package, a wide photo of the equipment compartment with the apron off, close ups of each cord label and control box, and a photo of the outlets. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can email the electrical diagram for your model and confirm each connection from the photos. The full walkthrough is in cords, control boxes and connections after install.

Common Questions

Why do I have 5 plugs when the data shows 4 outlets?
You may have more plugs than wall outlets because some cords, such as those for the pumps and heated seat, plug into the master control box rather than directly into a wall outlet. Only count the labeled line cords against the number of dedicated GFCI protected outlets required for your Ella walk-in tub. The Ella's Bubbles support team can confirm the correct connections from a photo of your equipment compartment.
Which two cords can share a GFCI outlet?
No two cords can share a GFCI outlet on your Ella walk-in tub. Each labeled power cord requires its own dedicated GFCI protected outlet, and the tub should never share a circuit with any other appliance. Components that share a power line do so internally through a control box, not by sharing a wall receptacle.
Does the blue box need its own outlet?
Yes, the blue master control box needs its own dedicated GFCI protected outlet. This blue box, which is typically located by the motor, has its own power inlet. It then distributes power to other components like the air pump, water pump, LED lights, and heated seat through its labeled ports.
Where does the 1/4 inch hose for the light connect?
The 1/4 inch air hose for the chromotherapy light connects from the LED push button on the tub's deck to a nipple on the chromotherapy control box. The LED light itself plugs into a three-pin connector on that same chromotherapy control box. The video "Chromotherapy Control Box Explained" further details these connections.
Can I get the wiring schematic for my tub?
Yes, you can get the wiring schematic for your Ella walk-in tub. The component diagram for each therapy package is available in the downloads section on the product page. Additionally, your Ella dealer or the Ella's Bubbles support team can email you the specific electrical diagram for your exact tub configuration.
My hydro plus air tub has two plugs, one normal and one a different shape. How do they plug in?
Hydro plus air runs on one dedicated 20 amp circuit with a duplex receptacle: one cord has a 20 amp plug with the sideways blade and the other a standard 15 amp plug, and both go into that circuit. A soaking tub with no therapies needs no electrical at all.
There is a second receptacle format on my tub that nothing plugs into. Did something get missed?
No. Some tubs ship with an unused receptacle meant for a therapy option that is not on your tub; it needs nothing. The electrical diagram for your package, sent with the spec sheet, shows exactly which cords your electrician should expect.

About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.

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