(I've also posted this in lawn.garden, but perhaps a plumber may have an answer to this.)
Last fall I extended my irrigation system by tapping into the main supply line and creating a manifold with three solonoid valves and one "direct" line with a manual valve. I ran an additional line to the rear of my property for an "always on" hose spigot. I didn't hook it up over the winter. Each of the irrigation valves work well.
Now that we won't be getting any more deep freezes, I hooked up my "always on" valve to the line running to the spigots.
To my surprise and puzzlement the pump will not supply water to this line unless one of the irrigation valves in the manifold are open. I don't understand this. The valves are "downstream" of the direct line and should not have any affect on the valve that is tapped directly into the main supply line.
It seems to me that when the manual valve is open water should flow out of the valve to the spigot. Tests have shown that water will flow freely to the spigot when hooked to a garden hose.
I am puzzled why the pump won't come on when the manual valve alone is open and only when one of the irrigation valves in the same manifold is operational. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Jackson Chesapeake, VA