Jacks Classic 70010 Hozon Brass Siphon Mixer

For years I've used hose end sprayers to fertilize... they require a lot of time with constant refilling a small bottle that I then have to carry around the yard and hold as I spray. They are not at all accurate in what they claim to dispense and certain ones are inconsistent, dumping more fertilizer at the start than near the end (typical with the dry mix type hose end sprayers). I've finally discovered a better alternative... this siphon mixer. Reading many of these amazon reviews can be misleading as I noticed all the negative reviews were from people who obviously don't understand the Bernoulli principle and its relation to the venturi effect. For those who do not know what I'm talking about... a venturi is a restriction (a reduced small area similar to the waist of an hour glass) that causes the water flow to suddenly speed up and when the water is allowed to enter back into a larger area (think the bottom of the hour glass) the water molecules will try to continue flowing at the same rate thus creating a vacuum in the venturi (through an opening)... this is where the fertilizer is sucked into the fast flowing stream of water. For this effect to work there is a minimum speed the water must reach within the venturi. What's misleading in the literature of this siphon mixer is the reference to the source water pressure, when it is actually the flow rate that will determine if this siphon effect is going to work for you. Pressure at the source does not guarantee it will siphon... rather you must have enough water flowing through the venturi to create the vacuum (siphoning effect)... So the real factor of importance is the pressure drop across the venturi... the pressure differential between the source and hose end sides of the venturi is what will dictate the flow through the venturi, the greater the pressure differential the greater will be the flow rate. You can have 70psi pressure at the source but if you restrict the water flow at the other end so that backpressure is say 60psi (only a 10psi difference) there will not be enough flow rate moving through the venturi to create the suction necessary to draw up the fertilizer even though you have plenty of source pressure at the water spigot. Source pressure is not so important since with as little as 25psi of source pressure you can get enough water flow through the venturi to create the vacuum provided the backpressure at the other end is near zero (such as an open hose end). Its really the pressure drop that one should consider and not just source pressure. Example: if you are using a spray nozzle of some sort the only requirement is that it not restrict so much flow as to increase the backpressure to within 20 psi of your source pressure so... meaning use a full flow shower head hose end sprayer or if using a sprinkler system then keep adding more sprinkler heads (don't expect it to shoot very far since there will no longer be a lot of backpressure) to increase flow at the hose end or if you desire to use with a soaker hose then add more soaker hoses, which in every case is just allowing more water to flow from the open end thus reducing the backpressure so that pressure drop across the venturi is at least 20psi.. A better way to measure the flow is to simply measure the water flow out of the open end of the hose... example: fill a 5 gallon bucket and time it and divide the minutes it takes into 5 gallons.... if the flow rate is 3gpm or more then you will have enough flow through the venturi to create the vacuum necessary for the siphon effect. This siphon mixer device will work regardless of what you want to put on the end of the hose provided the user allows adequate water to flow out the other end... note: if you want it to shoot farther then you will need higher backpressure and this will affect water flow rate... meaning you will need higher source pressure to maintain a 20psi pressure drop necessary for the siphon effect while creating the backpressure you desire to shoot the spray out further.... that is the only time source pressure comes into importance. Also along these same lines... using a larger diameter hose (like 3/4") and/or shorter hose lengths after the venturi device will likewise keep the backpressure low, thus those are both recommendations from the manufacturer....So with all that said... I ordered this siphon mixer two days ago, received it today and used it to water/fertilize the whole yard, all our gardens, and potted plants without issue... it saved me a lot of time and hassle. Details: I have ~40psi available, used 75 foot of 5/8" hose and used a shower head sprayer (DRAMM) where I was able to maintain (as measured) a 4gpm flow at the open end... it all worked beautifully. (the manufacture's stated recommended minimum flow rate is 3gpm). Also I made sure to strain the fertilizer mix by pouring final mix solution through cheese cloth after letting it sit for half hour since it was a combination of several dry chemical fertilizers plus a couple liquid organic ingredients (I've found in the past that certain combinations will occasionally cause solids to precipitate out of solution, which is not good since the hole in the venturi is quite small and easily plugged by any solids or clumps).And to those who've talked about drilling out the hole to a larger diameter to keep it from plugging up... know this: you change the dilution ratio when you do that so be careful when mixing your batches... you should test to measure the new let-down ratio so you can accurately mix your fertilizer concentration. My advice though is to not drill it out in the first place, better to just filter the fertilizer concentrate mix as you pour it into the bucket.Bottom line: this device works as advertised... people having issues simply don't understand the siphon effect works based upon water flow rate. You increase flow rate by creating as little backpressure as you can... such as reducing restrictions in the hose and attachments at the open end of the hose. So before you purchase this device, simply measure your flow rate with the set-up you wish to use... if its not at least 3gpm at the open end then it won't work unless you modify what you're using at the hose end.... and there are many ways to get the backpressure down, simply add more openings.

With a 5 gallon bucket and the liquid fertilizer of your choice, you can water/fertilize large areas in your garden or flowerbeds in one watering. Highly recommend this tool for any gardener that has more to fertilize than just the small hand-held sprayer.

I have a moss problem on my roof, and needed to get moss killer on my roof. Unfortunately my roof is too steep for me to feel comfortable walking on, so I need a way to deliver the moss killer without climbing on the roof.=== The Good Stuff ===* The manufacturer clearly specified that the mixer will not work if the liquid is to be dispensed at a significant vertical lift. The top of my roof line is 30' in the air, so I was clearly operating outside the envelope. But I decided to give it a try anyway. To maximize the venturi effect, I used 1/2" PVC to run up the side of the house, but used 1/4" hose for the first few feet of the run. I placed the siphon mixer on the 1/4" line, so it had a higher velocity of water flow. That as evidently enough to get some suction. I suspect I got less product per gallon that would be normal, but it was non-zero, and that was pretty much all I wanted. I do have excellent water pressure from my well pump, so my results may not have been typical.* The unit seems well made, and comes with a nice rubber seal in the female end.=== The Not-So-Good Stuff ===* Nothing really- I know I used it for a task that is specifically against the manufacturers specifications, but I got away with it, so I was happy. If I was using it for a more "controlled" application, the lack of a calibrated rate of delivery would have been a problem for me.=== Summary ===This worked great for what I wanted to use it for.

As a couple of reviews mentioned, out of the box the siphon mixer will not work with trigger nozzles that control the water flow. However, in my case, I was able to get this to work with a standard trigger nozzle by attaching an RV water pressure regulator in between the faucet and the siphon mixer. The regulator I bought is adjustable (https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Star-Pressure-Regulator-Screened/dp/B07P94MQ68/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=RV+pressure+regulator&qid=1614647560&sr=8-7) but a regulator with a fixed setting between 40-50 psi should work just as well and would be cheaper (https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Pressure-Regulator-High-Pressure-40055/dp/B003BZD08U/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=RV+pressure+regulator&qid=1614647604&sr=8-6). In my case, my home water pressure is set to 70 psi. The mixer will works fine with the regulator set anywhere between 40 - 60 psi, though the water flow will tend to start sputtering at around 40 psi.

The product works as advertised and does a very good job of injecting fertilizer while watering. I live in the country and share well with two other houses. Sometimes my water pressure is a bit low and I was worried that the siphon mixer would not mix properly with a lower PSI. Even with my water pressure dropping below 30 psi at times I have no problem with the siphon mixer. I used it to mix organic fertilizer while watering as opposed to using a 3 gallon sprayer. The mixer saves me time and I'm able to put down fertilizer more evenly. My only complaint is that suction hole gets clogged by small particles but am going to take the advice of another reviewer and drill the hole a little bit bigger. I will do a follow-up review after some use once this is done and I do a test to make sure it's still mixing at the right ratios.

Works really well. Used it a few times now, haven’t noticed any burning at all so it seems to be doing as advertised!

Reliable, sturdy, and easy to use

Love this product. This is my second one. Great to siphon a fertilizer water mix. Love it!

It works pretty good. I am using it with drip irrigation and sometimes I have to play with the pressure for the unit to syphon

Works great to mix fertilizer in as you water plants all in one operation