Hi Ash,
Just one thing to note. Generally people who have a HERMS or any recirculating system tend to have a return manifold that has 1/2" outlets rather than slits or holes. Reason being that you'll likely be recirculating chunks of grain for a while through your system. You'll never clog 1/2" holes but you might clog your slots (or holes for other people using that system).
I like this sort of manifold:
http://hbd.org/hollen/lrims/P0004150.JPG
But as I said, yours will likely work with no problems but it may clog a bit? Possibly, maybe, mightdo, who knows-suck it and see.
It's fine for just sparging with HLT water cause there are no chunky bits but you may, just possibly, end up with blocked holes in your sparge manifold.
I used to use a sparge manifold exactly like Doogiechap when I fly sparged, but now that I batch sparge I don't even have a sparge ring. I just have the hose going straight in there.
FWIW, people get a bit hung up on having this eltecho sparging manifold and how they deliver the water to the grain bed. I can tell you it makes very little difference how the water is delivered and it is far less important than people make out. One classic is the Phils Whirly gig rotating sparge arm, gimmicky as hell, useless as shit. It does a great job of cooling your sparge water
. My opinion only.
As long as you have a 1/2" to 1" of water sitting above your bed and your not boring a hole through the grain bed it will work fine.
I'll just add one more thing, when your recirculating your mash make sure your sparge ring is sitting below the surface of the water and not sprinkling away. HSA whether it exists or not (I'd be surprised if it didn't in my opinion), but why take the chance.
Cheers, Justin
