I just finished running 24 zones and scheduling them all. I feel like an idiot not confirming after buying all rachio controllers, but can I really not run 2 zones at once? This breaks my entire irrigation plan as I’m running a 2” line and planned to run 4-6 zones at once
Depending on your valves that you are using (how much power they draw) and if you do not have a pump or master valve, you might be able to run 3 zones. Generally, 4 or more will cause a zone fault. I would guess you have plenty of pressure as well with the 2" lines, but could be wrong. Oh, are you talking about wiring zones together, not having Rachio turn on multiple zones at a time? If the latter, the answer is no.
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I have 2 controllers and wanted to run 2-4 zones per controller at the same time. Sounds like the Rachio supplies 850ma…? I’m using orbit valves which have an in rush of 350ma and holding current at 230ma.
I do have a master value on both controller with isolators but no wonder if I can just have 1 controller with the MV and overlap running zones off both controllers at the same time.
Also, thinking I might get a 3 controller and should be able to achieve a 5-7 zone at the same time
Controller 1 - Master Valve, 1-2 zones on the same controller zone
Controller 2 - 2-3 zones on the same controller zone
Controller 3 - 2-3 zones on the same controller zone
How many zones does your Rachio have with how many valves including the one MV? I mistakenly read that all zones were on one Rachio, but no Rachio has 24 zones. Having one Rachio controlling some zones AND the MV with the others zones on other controllers just might work. The big dependency might be what kind of schedule you are using. If you are using a fixed schedule, that would seem like the easiest way to “keep them in sync.” With the flex schedules, they could get out of sync especially flex daily which I use all the time, Another option would be to use a relay type of thing that supplies its own power and the Rachio just energizes the relay to allow the other power supply to run the multiple zones. The possible problem with running multiple zones can be if they are not identical with water output, slope, soil, sun, etc., it can overwater some zones while underwatering others.
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I have 2 - 16 zones. If I can run 3 valves (including MV) per rachio controller at the same time, than i could run 1MV+2valves on controller 1, then run 3 valves on controller 2 = to get 1MV+5valves. This would suffice and then I could add a 3rd controller to run up to another 3 valves.
Curious why you want so many zones at one time? With a sixteen zone controller and a MV, half of the controller could have two valves each and the other half one valve each or use twelve zones with two valves each.
You can solve the current issue with a relay board and a separate transformer, that’s only like $50. But you’ll have to solve the logic issue.
You can’t SCHEDULE more than one zone to run at a time, but like @Thomas_Lerman has said, you can WIRE up to 3 zones (or 2 zones and a MV/Pump relay) together. Obviously, this tied those 2 zones together essentially and as long as the zones are the same watering needs, there shouldn’t be an issue, but kinda defeats the purpose of running that many independent zones.