I need to utilize the master pump feature of the system to send a call from my electrical panel to start my well pump and bring water up from the canal to the manifold for my yard sprinklers. I want to add a new zone for my raised bed garden but cannot add another valve to the manifold so I planned on connecting a separate valve to a hose bib then out to a drip line. Is there a way to actuate the new drip line valve without having the system look to start up the well pump? All I need is that one zone to get a 24V shot to open the drip line valve where it will receive water pressure from the open hose bib. Thanks
@Njneer75 - interesting that you can’t plumb a single valve in before the manifold for the garden zone.
Be careful using a hose bib for the elevated garden due to potential siphoning water back into the domestic water supply if the water pressure falls, there needs to be some sort of check valve in the line. A siphon/vacuum breaker I don’t think will work if the bed is higher than the hose bib. Also, make sure the line used can handle 24 hour pressure from the water system - most garden hoses can’t.
All the above said, one can use a simple normally closed single pole single throw relay (NC SPST) with a 24 VAC coil (should cost around $10.00) to open up the master pump line when the garden zone is run. Run the output from the garden zone terminal to the relay coil and the garden zone in parallel. The other side of the relay coil will go to the Rachio C terminal. The master valve line will go to the common relay terminal and the continue on to the pump on via the NC terminal on the relay.