Water Pumps & Pump Relays

Last Update:Feb 12 2025 7:32pm • Est. Read Time:Est. Read Time: 4 MIN

Do you have Advanced Wiring? Want to know more about how Rachio works with water pumps? This article will provide an explanation and explore how to wire a master valve, water pump, pump start relay, and indexing valve for proper operation. 


What is advanced wiring?

On occasion, you might have more wires than zones. If that's the case, you might have advanced wiring that requires some extra attention and configuration:


Master Valve

A master valve is a “normally closed” valve installed at the supply point of the main line that opens whenever a zone is operating. It prevents the system from leaking in case a zone valve or pipe is damaged.


Install it in the “M” terminal slot, and enable the Master Valve within the Rachio App ( "Settings Wheel" at top right > "Controller Settings" > "Advanced Wiring (M Terminal)" > "Master Valve"). Please note that Master Valves should only be wired to the "M" and "C" terminals.


Pump Start Relay


If you’re running your irrigation system from a well, pond, or stream rather than city water, you most likely have a pump that requires advanced wiring. 


CAUTION: Keep in mind that the pump should never be wired directly to the controller; doing so will damage your Rachio controller, as well as void your warranty.

A pump start relay serves as a switch that activates 110-220VAC power to the pump when the Rachio controller’s master valve is enabled. Since the Rachio controller outputs 24VAC, a pump start relay is required when using a pump with the Rachio controller.


CAUTION: To avoid potential Wi-Fi interference and potential damage from ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE, most PSR manufacturers recommend relays should be installed at least 15 feet away from the irrigation controller.


Wiring the Pump Start Relay


  1. When wiring a pump relay, you will find it has two leads on your old controller; one connected to the common terminal and another connected to the "master" or “pump” terminal (which may be labeled as ‘M’, ‘MV’, ‘P’, or a combination such as “MV/P”). We recommend labeling each wire to avoid confusion.


  2. On the Rachio controller, refer to your model’s wiring diagram to identify a common terminal and the “M” terminal. For tips on inserting the wire(s), please refer to this video.

  3. After connecting the controller to the Wi-Fi, the app will ask if your system has a master valve. Select “Yes”.

  4. If you’ve already completed zone setup and wish to double-check to ensure that you have enabled your pump, select the "Settings Wheel" icon located on the top-hand right side, then click "Controller Settings" and select "Master valve" to toggle the master valve on or off.


Disclaimer

Make sure that the total draw of the Pump Start Relay plus the draw of the valve does not exceed 1.3 amps at 24 VAC, 60 Hz. The controller does not provide the main power for a pump. 


Munro pump start relays are the only relays tested to be compatible with Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler controller. The Rachio Support Team is unable to assist or troubleshoot PSR by other manufacturers. Munro also has their own dedicated and knowledgeable support team. 


When purchasing a Munro PSR, please verify the model number. Using the incorrect Munro PSR could damage the Rachio controller. You will need to verify this yourself as the distributor or retailer will not know. Please verify the model matches exactly the Startbox and Smartbox models below:



Startbox models 

- MPSR242W11  (120 volts up to 2 Horsepower pump. Max inrush)

- MPSR242W22  (220 volts up to 5 Horsepower pump)

Max inrush: 2amp
Total Holding Current: 1amp

Smartbox models 

- MPLC242W11T (120 volts up to 2 Horsepower pump)

- MPLC242W22T (220 volts up to 5 Horsepower pump)

Max inrush: 2amp
Total Holding Current: 1amp

Video Guide

Are you more of a visual learner? Check out our video on Water Pumps & Pump Relays!

TIPS: Now that you’re all set, configure your controller to enable pump features:

Settings Wheel icon > Controller Settings > Advanced Wiring (M Terminal) > Well or Pump Start Relay.


Doing so will enable the Delay Between Zones feature for scheduling.


Note

Not all pumps need to be connected to the Rachio controller. If your pump works with a pressure switch, simply follow the steps above to enable the option “Well or Pump Start Relay” in the Advanced Wiring (M Terminal) menu options in Controller Settings; this will expose the Delay Between Zones option inside your Schedule settings. A wire does not need to be connected to the M terminal to use this feature, however, the Advanced Wiring (M Terminal) setting must be enabled and set to “Well of Pump Start Relay” in order to use Delay Between Zones.



Hydraulic Indexing Valve Wiring


Indexing valves offer a central hub to automate multiple-zoned irrigation systems. Usually consisting of 1 inlet and 3+ outlets, indexing valves can operate on city water or pumps.


How an Indexing Valve works


An indexing valve will water on a zone-by-zone basis, diverting the water supply from one outlet to another in a rotational direction. The order of the zones cannot be changed on an indexing valve and is predetermined by the order in which they were installed. For more information, please see this support article.


Indexing Valves only have two wires. Install them in the “M” terminal slot and “C” terminal slot. Before creating a schedule, you will need to enable the Delay Between Zones feature. Navigate to the Settings Wheel icon > Controller Settings > Advanced Wiring (M Terminal), and enable the option Well or Pump Start Relay.


TIP:  If you’re using an Indexing Valve and your system’s water supply comes from city water, you still need to enable “Well or Pump Start Relay” in the controller settings because the Delay Between Zones feature is required when working with Indexing Valves. Follow the steps in the previous paragraph for Wthe iring and Controller Settings configuration.

Sharing a Wire Across Multiple Devices?


If you need to share a common wire or Master Valve wire between two Rachio controllers, please click here for more information.



Do you still need help?


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