sparge with cooler lid on

[flyerwire]

So, i think i may just be failing to see how this work, but here it goes, you can laugh if its easy.

I had a sparge arm given to me, but it is near impossible to use on 5gal batches because the water runs too slow... also the cooler lid is off, so i'm losing all kinds of heat. I want to go the Sabco route and use a 1/2ID tubing with holes in it coiled along the outside of the MLT to sparge with, but how do i get something through the lid to allow me to keep the lid on but still keep a pretty tight seal?

Is there a way to mount a QD through a hole in the lid (cooler)? Does it have to be that great of a seal? What if i wanted to run a piece of copper through it so i can adjust the height when i go between 5 and 10gal batches?

Am i simply overthinking this and just drill a hole a bit smaller then a piece of 1/2" copper and have it be a snug fit?

 

[Grizzlybrew]

I would just have it fit snug. If you're sparging with the lid completely off now, it's bound to be better.

Also, you say the sparge arm is impossible to use because the water runs too slow... can't you just limit the runoff rate with the valve on the MLT?

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I did something similar on my cooler, and soldered up a copper manifold. Doesn't need to be copper, or be soldered as it sticks together quite well.

 

[flyerwire]

I would just have it fit snug. If you're sparging with the lid completely off now, it's bound to be better.

Also, you say the sparge arm is impossible to use because the water runs too slow... can't you just limit the runoff rate with the valve on the MLT?

runs to slow so that the sparge arm doesnt rotate and just has a line of water running down. True that it fitting snug will be better then it being off like it is now...

and thanks twoheads, looking for something just like that to adjust to the depth of the grain bed. Getting mid-80's efficiency with the lid off and definite cooling (especially now when i'm out there with a hat, gloves and 3 layers on to stay warm), hoping this can help a bit more also.

I'm trying to figure out something permanent because i'm in the process of collecting parts for a brew stand... want to get everything I have now good to go on it when the stand is ready

 

[Ohio-Ed]

runs to slow so that the sparge arm doesnt rotate and just has a line of water running down. True that it fitting snug will be better then it being off like it is now...

and thanks twoheads, looking for something just like that to adjust to the depth of the grain bed. Getting mid-80's efficiency with the lid off and definite cooling (especially now when i'm out there with a hat, gloves and 3 layers on to stay warm), hoping this can help a bit more also.

I'm trying to figure out something permanent because i'm in the process of collecting parts for a brew stand... want to get everything I have now good to go on it when the stand is ready

I have a sparge arm like the one you describe... it has become known as the "Whirly Thing". I only use it occasionally for entertainment value now.
Two things that can help if you really want to use it.

First, it has to be almost perfectly level or the balance is off and it will not rotate.

Second, water pressure... As you empty the HLT, there is less pressure and it doesn't rotate as well. So, you could raise your HLT, or pump water from the HLT to the Whirly Thing.

Now for the real bad news... you really don't need the Whirly Thing at all. The point is to avoid disturbing the grain bed. If you have an inch or two of water above the grain bed (which you should when sparging), then dripping water on water doesn't really buy you much. Also... Taking your heated sparge water and converting it to drops which is more influenced by the ambient air temp causes it to cool much faster.

So... you can place a hose at, or just below the surface of the water on top of your grain bed and be better off and spend way less time trying to get the Whirly Thing to Whirl...

Good luck,
Ed

 

[flyerwire]

I have a sparge arm like the one you describe... it has become known as the "Whirly Thing". I only use it occasionally for entertainment value now.
Two things that can help if you really want to use it.

First, it has to be almost perfectly level or the balance is off and it will not rotate.

Second, water pressure... As you empty the HLT, there is less pressure and it doesn't rotate as well. So, you could raise your HLT, or pump water from the HLT to the Whirly Thing.

Now for the real bad news... you really don't need the Whirly Thing at all. The point is to avoid disturbing the grain bed. If you have an inch or two of water above the grain bed (which you should when sparging), then dripping water on water doesn't really buy you much. Also... Taking your heated sparge water and converting it to drops which is more influenced by the ambient air temp causes it to cool much faster.

So... you can place a hose at, or just below the surface of the water on top of your grain bed and be better off and spend way less time trying to get the Whirly Thing to Whirl...

Good luck,
Ed

yup i basically gave up on it, and especially without the lid on all i was doing was quickly cooling the sparge water, i've been poking around and saw what Sabco uses in their setup and was going to give it a try. Trying to get a 5 gallon batch fly sparge to last 60 minutes while keeping the whirly thing whirling doesnt work, and i brew 5 gallon batches more often then 10's, so whirly thing is out

 

[The Pol]

Id just run a hose to the top of the grain bed, like the BrewMagic and others use. You dont have to build a contraption to sprinkle for fly sparging. Like stated before.

Lay the hose on top of the bed, let it gently swirl the water into the 2" deep ppuddle on the surface of the grain... easy, no worries

Why were you trying to get the sparge to last so long? Man, Id max out at 35-40 minutes, Id go faster than that if my grain bed would handle it.

 

[flyerwire]

Id just run a hose to the top of the grain bed, like the BrewMagic and others use. You dont have to build a contraption to sprinkle for fly sparging. Like stated before.

Lay the hose on top of the bed, let it gently swirl the water into the 2" deep ppuddle on the surface of the grain... easy, no worries

Why were you trying to get the sparge to last so long? Man, Id max out at 35-40 minutes, Id go faster than that if my grain bed would handle it.

i got a decent efficiency jump when i forced myself to slow the sparge down, so i was trying to keep it going that long. I changed a few things along with that, so i wasnt very scientific in the reasoning, so when i switch to the hose i may dial it back to 40 mins or so and see how it goes... (which again, will be in the middle of a change of keeping the lid on and heat in)