[JKL]

Manifold flowing into a pie pan. I used that method for 10ish years and got 85% efficiency. Last year I gave batch sparging a shot and after 1 less than good attempt and tweaking my equipment, I am getting roughly 82% but am saving a good 45 to 60 minutes on every brew.

I'd recommend looking at what is causing your low efficiency and fixing that - crush being the first thing I'd look at - before you started buying new equipment or changing your procedure. Without being able to fix what you have, I'd be surprised if fly sparging would help you as much as you expect.

Unfortunately I haven't had the coin to buy my own mill so I've only used my LHBS and Austin HB to mill my grain. Both are in that 65%ish range.  AHB e mailed me a few weeks ago with a special on the 15lb BarleyCrusher for like $125 & free shipping.  Boy I was tempted but I guess some things are more important than beer
JKL

[denny]

This what the Tubercle did for years until he became Dennyfied.

Sorry to hear that man.
Is that curable 

There is no known cure once you're Dennyfied.   

[kerneldustjacket]

This what the Tubercle did for years until he became Dennyfied.

Sorry to hear that man.
Is that curable 

There is no known cure once you're Dennyfied.   

Should I be afraid? After 15+ years of fly sparging, I'm doing a no-sparge batch of brown ale this Friday...
I work in a hospital...maybe if I take home some latex gloves and a surgical mask....?

(tubercle...you're tearing my sides out with your use of third person to refer to yourself!!!!)

[gordonstrong]

This what the Tubercle did for years until he became Dennyfied.

Sorry to hear that man.
Is that curable 

There is no known cure once you're Dennyfied.   

Is that Dennyfied or Dennyfried?

[denny]

Is that Dennyfied or Dennyfried?

  Dennyfied is bona fide!

[1vertical]

I love the exchange of Banter in the morning....

[Kit B]

So after 40 some AG batches I have decided to give fly sparging a shot.  I've always been a batch sparger (Thanks Denny) and get around 65-68% eff.  I'm on a "Big-ger Beer" kick so I want to get as much as I can out of my grainbed the next go 'round.  I hoping to get into that 75-80% range.  I use a 10 gal Gott mashtun and wondering what some of you guys are using for sparging.  I like the cool "whirly" gig thing but I don't know how hard that would be to build.  I've also thought about just going with some simple coiled copper tubing.  Any thoughts are appreciated.
-J.K.L.

Why do you want to take a step backwards in the evolution of your brewing?
Try malt conditioning, coupled with a double batch sparge...
You might not hit 80%, but some guys regularly do it.

[tschmidlin]

Should I be afraid? After 15+ years of fly sparging, I'm doing a no-sparge batch of brown ale this Friday...
I work in a hospital...maybe if I take home some latex gloves and a surgical mask....?

Throw in some penicillin while you're at it . . .

[realbeerguy]

As a reply to the O/P, look at your crush for better efficiency.  You should be able to get a smaller beer out of the mash if you batch or fly the first runnings.

[realbeerguy]

Should I be afraid? After 15+ years of fly sparging, I'm doing a no-sparge batch of brown ale this Friday...
I work in a hospital...maybe if I take home some latex gloves and a surgical mask....?

KDJ, what's the matter?  Wifey drink all your beer?

Do I need to make a supply run to your house.

[kerneldustjacket]

Should I be afraid? After 15+ years of fly sparging, I'm doing a no-sparge batch of brown ale this Friday...
I work in a hospital...maybe if I take home some latex gloves and a surgical mask....?

KDJ, what's the matter?  Wifey drink all your beer?

Do I need to make a supply run to your house.

OK Mr.RBG...I'll admit it here for all to see...My wife drinks three beers to my one.
I look on it as a good thing: she's my "Homebrew Throughput Enhancement Machine." In other words, she helps to ensure that all homebrew in the house is at its peak of freshness...and that I get a chance to brew often and better my craft. Well, that is so long as one in three brews is a German Weizen, as she's from Stuttgart.

[micsager]

A sparge arm is a folly.  If you want to fly sparge, I'd recommend using a manifold for your return.

So just swap out my kewler screen for a copper or PVC manifold set-up and go slow, huh?
-J.K.L.

The general consensus is to have a half inch of water on top of the grain bed, staying consistent with the amount and speed of run-off.  You don't need any special whirligigs or manifolds for this.
I usually drain nearly all the mash first, then fairly slowly fill up the tun with water until I have some hot water across the surface of the grain bed and then start a very slow run-off.  While doing this I don't disturb the grain bed by stirring, but I have found that cutting the grain bed with a long knife or spatula not quite all the way down to the false bottom (thanks, Gordon) keeps the water from making channels in the mash.

+1,this is exactly what I do.

[bonjour]

So after 40 some AG batches I have decided to give fly sparging a shot.  I've always been a batch sparger (Thanks Denny) and get around 65-68% eff.  I'm on a "Big-ger Beer" kick so I want to get as much as I can out of my grainbed the next go 'round.  I hoping to get into that 75-80% range.  I use a 10 gal Gott mashtun and wondering what some of you guys are using for sparging.  I like the cool "whirly" gig thing but I don't know how hard that would be to build.  I've also thought about just going with some simple coiled copper tubing.  Any thoughts are appreciated.
-J.K.L.

Not knocking batch sparging, I use that for all my starters (5 gallons of "normal" strength beer. but my setup is similar to yours,
10 gal igloo (yellow is king) cooler with a domed false bottom.  I fly sparge all my big beers and get between 75 and 95% efficiency mostly depending on my boil time and my associated gallons boiled.  In fly sparging, especially with bigger beers, efficiency goes up with the volume of wort collected pre-boil.  My biggest beers tend to be some of the most efficient, collecting 9 gallons to make 5 really helps the efficiency.

[MDixon]

Efficiency is of course dependent upon the volume gravity, but I'm having trouble seeing 95% efficiency work out, 85-90 I can see with the extra sparging you are doing, but 95% would mean on a standard gravity beer you would ALWAYS get 95% since the boil gravity would be about the same.

[bonjour]

Understood Mike, I questioned it myself

A long Decoction mash, 25 5/8 lb grain bill, 9.75 gallons of wort collected and boiled 4 hours down to yield 4.75 gallons in a keg.  OG 1.189.