Quick answer: To set up a Bellavita bath lift, first charge the battery in the hand control for about four hours (red light turns green when done). Press the four suction cups into the base, insert and tilt back the backrest until the lifting rod seats, snap on the backrest and seat covers, then plug the hand control into the back. To use it: green button turns it on, yellow raises the seat, blue lowers it, red turns it off. It auto-shuts off after 30 minutes.

The Bellavita is one of those products that makes a real difference in day-to-day life — it lowers you gently into the tub and lifts you back out, no straining, no white-knuckle grip on a grab bar. Setup looks like a lot of steps, but most of them are just pressing parts into place. There are no tools required. Here's the whole thing, start to finish, plus Drive's video demonstration.

Step 1: Check Your Parts

Before anything else, lay everything out and verify all the parts are present: the seat base, the backrest, four suction cups, the hand control, the charger, and the covers. It's a two-minute check that saves you a headache halfway through.

Charge the Battery First

The battery lives inside the hand control, and it needs a full charge before the first use.

  1. Plug the charger into the hand control — make sure the plug is seated all the way in.
  2. Plug the charger into an AC wall outlet.
  3. The light on the hand control glows red while charging and turns green when it's done. A full charge takes about four hours.

Pro tip: a full charge lasts up to about six lift cycles, depending on the user's weight and the battery's condition. Charging after each use keeps the battery at its best — think of it like your phone: top it off and it's always ready.

Attach the Suction Cups

  1. Install two suction cups on the front underside of the unit. Press the tongues of the front cups into the recesses provided in the base plate.
  2. Install two suction cups on the rear underside. The tongues of the rear cups must point away from the unit.
  3. There are two additional suction-cup locations on the base if you want extra hold. Additional suction cups are available from your dealer.

Attach the Backrest

  1. Insert the backrest into the bearing blocks of the seat.
  2. As you tilt the back rearward, make sure the lifting rod is positioned correctly in the base.
  3. Tilt the back rearward as far as it will go.

Fit the Covers

  1. Slide the two upper tabs of the backrest cover through the holes provided at the top of the backrest.
  2. Line up one of the locking buttons on the tabs with its button receiver in the backrest and push it in. Repeat on the opposite side.
  3. Line up one of the lower locking buttons of the backrest cover with its receiver and push in. Repeat on the opposite side.
  4. Slide the wings of the bottom (seat) cover over the wings of the seat. Make sure the cut-out in the cover faces the same direction as the cut-out in the seat.
  5. Before the seat-cover locking buttons will engage, push the wings of the seat forward — otherwise the buttons won't line up with their holes.
  6. Push in the locking buttons on the seat.

Get It Ready to Use

  1. Once the battery is fully charged, disconnect the charger. Plug the hand control into the rear of the backrest, making sure the plug is fully seated.
  2. You're ready. Here are the controls:
    • Green button — turns the unit on
    • Yellow button — raises the seat
    • Blue button — lowers the seat
    • Red button — turns the unit off
    If you leave it on for more than 30 minutes, it shuts off automatically.

Removing the Back for Transport

  1. To take the back off for easier carrying, the lifting rod must be fully retracted first. If it isn't, use the hand control to fully retract it before separating the back.
  2. When transporting the base, make sure the seat locking latch is engaged so nothing shifts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Bellavita battery take to charge?

About four hours. The hand control's light is red while charging and turns green when it's full.

Where is the Bellavita battery?

Inside the hand control. You charge it by plugging the charger into the hand control, not the seat.

How many times can I use it on one charge?

Up to about six lift cycles per charge, depending on the user's weight and the battery's condition. Charging after each use keeps it at full capacity.

How do I operate the Bellavita?

Green turns it on, yellow raises the seat, blue lowers it, and red turns it off. It automatically shuts off after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Do I need any tools to assemble it?

No tools required. The suction cups, backrest, and covers all press or snap into place by hand.

Wrapping Up

That's the whole setup — charge it, press on the suction cups, seat the backrest, snap on the covers, and you're lowering yourself into the tub in comfort. If you need a unit or a replacement part, we carry the Bellavita bath lift and related bath lifts at HME Medical Shop.

— The HME Parts Team

Original instructions and video courtesy of Drive Medical.