Is it possible for me to wire an Intermatic to Rainmachine?

I purchased a Rainmachine to upgrade my house’s sprinkler controller. Right now, I have to manually to turn on/off the sprinkler system by hand. I have a basic understanding of wiring, but have never done anything like working on a sprinkler

Outside:

Inside:

My question is, I have 4 zones… but I only see 2 wires that are connected to the sprinkler controller. I don’t see anything that would be identified as the COM wire. At the bottom of the controller is a relay which I think is for the pump?

Hey @drewsg-

Step 1: Purchase a Rachio instead :wink:

Kidding! Do you happen to be located in Florida? It looks like you may have an indexing valve, which is very common in Florida! If so, check out this support article, which is how you would wire an indexing valve to a Rachio. I’m assuming this should help even with the rain machine!

McKynzee :rachio:

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Can you post some more pictures of that wiring? The view is limited

Hopefully these help.



@drewsg - a) I second @Mckynzee 's step 1 (and I’m not even a Rachio employee like she is!).

b) One would REPLACE the Intermatic with a Rachio or Rainmachine, not wire to it.

c) To get the best bang for one’s irrigation watering buck, I’d replace the indexing valve setup with individual valves. With individual valves an intelligent sprinkler controller can water only the zones that need to be watered, instead of every zone, ever time.

d) For a Rachio (no experience on the Rainmachine, but I’m assuming (we all know the breakdown of assume) it is similar) controller to work in this configuration one needs a pump start relay and a weatherproof box to put the relay into (if the pump start relay is located outside - I believe this installation is inside). Along with a weatherproof box for the controller, unless it is mounted inside.

Here is a blow by blow description of how one Rachio owner replaced their Intermatic timer and changed to individual zones:

Reader’s Digest version - replace the Intermatic with a pump start relay, which has connections to power and the pump, in a weather proof box - if installed outside, connect the pump start or master valve terminal on the intelligent sprinkler controller, also in a weatherproof box if installed outdoors, to the pump start relay input.

e) Not sure what the transformer is used for - would need to follow those wires. It shouldn’t be for the pump as the pump will be either 120 or 220 VAC. Could be for something else and just stealing 120 VAC from the Intermatic line connection.

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I’m curious is @sprinklerman can confirm that the little box below the intermatic is the relay

That little box connected to the intermatic looks like a transformer to me.

This looks like the relay: https://i.imgur.com/K3xzWXZ.jpg