Sprinkler Head Sparge Arm (26" Base)

I have a 2 tier system with my round 10 gal cooler mash tun on the top level so I hooked this up to a Chugger pump. First attempt of use did not work so well as I blew the rubber an end cap off the arm due to accidentally opening the pump up full. My fault totally. Used super glue to re-attach the end caps and was more careful on the pump control valve for the second attempt. Worked perfectly! Rotated smoothly and had an even output across the arm above the grain bed. Adjusted the height by adding tape above the plastic base. Very happy with this sparge arm.

In my opinion there is a fundamental flaw in the design of this arm that makes it unsuitable for use in any cylindrical vessel whose diameter is close to the width of this arm (i.e. a vessel the arm just fits nicely within). The issue stems from the fact that the holes furthest out along the arm spray horizontally (sideways) rather than down - this is purposeful so that it causes the arm to rotate. These holes are also much closer together, since the outer portion covers more area. On the surface, both of those design choices make sense. Unfortunately, having those furthest holes aimed laterally causes most of that water to be directed at the side wall of the vessel rather than the mash - and so I estimate at least 1/2 of the sparge water runs down the side of the vessel past the mash instead of sparging the mash. By moving the arm closer to the mash surface this waste can be reduced somewhat, but that isn't really possible in my Brewzilla because its mashpipe is in the way. So my testing has proven to me that this arm is really only useful in situations where the vessel is much wider than the arm span and/or allows positioning the arm very close to the mash.

I've brewed 5 batches and it does the job very well.