Found a decently priced hood for my indoor, electric brewery I am building in central Florida. It's 201 stainless steel though. Thoughts? I am thinking that if I'm only brewing a couple times a month it's probably fine long term?
201Stainless for condensate hood
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First. what sort of system are you brewing on, including batch size? This will determine size requirements and influence fan volume. I brew on a 3 vessel EHERMS. I have 2 keggles and an SS Brewtech mash tun. It is not strictly necessary to have the hood extend over the HLT and MT, mainly necessary for the BK. I did however do that. My hood is 55" wide and made out of keg halves. I've brewed mostly 6 gallon batches about 75% of the time and the rest 10 gallons but this year I am working in smaller 3 gallon batches in order to experiment more. For me a 5ft SS table would be right-sized (mine is 6 ft) and a 5ft wide commercial exhaust would cover that.
I have a 6" diameter exhaust duct feeding an inline Cloudline fan, 402 cfm volume. That's adequate with one 90 degree bend in the ducts and with a weighted exhaust flap. I do wipe it down 1-2 times a brew to avoid drips.
An integral drip tray, would be helpful. The noise level is 32 decibals. And the sound level is lower than pumps, by a lot actually. If I had to build it again I might try the 8" or someday put in a drip tray but the quick wipe is hardly a bother. The steam is hitting the SS which is colder so some condensation may be unavoidable even with increased fan volume.
The grease grates aren't necessary but may be integral to the purchase?
I know that's a lot and you asked about the 201. It's mainly steam exhaust not much else. Some stainless steel doesn't age well, some sinks come to mind but I am not so familiar with all the SS grades and their longevity. Occasional passivation may be all that is needed really if the grade is lower quality.
You will also get the inevitable steam slayer recommendation so perhaps look at those if you haven't as even the 5ft Vevor is $747.
I have a 6" diameter exhaust duct feeding an inline Cloudline fan, 402 cfm volume. That's adequate with one 90 degree bend in the ducts and with a weighted exhaust flap. I do wipe it down 1-2 times a brew to avoid drips.
An integral drip tray, would be helpful. The noise level is 32 decibals. And the sound level is lower than pumps, by a lot actually. If I had to build it again I might try the 8" or someday put in a drip tray but the quick wipe is hardly a bother. The steam is hitting the SS which is colder so some condensation may be unavoidable even with increased fan volume.
The grease grates aren't necessary but may be integral to the purchase?
I know that's a lot and you asked about the 201. It's mainly steam exhaust not much else. Some stainless steel doesn't age well, some sinks come to mind but I am not so familiar with all the SS grades and their longevity. Occasional passivation may be all that is needed really if the grade is lower quality.
You will also get the inevitable steam slayer recommendation so perhaps look at those if you haven't as even the 5ft Vevor is $747.
You think an $800 hood is decently priced?
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Probably directed at the OP, but it's reasonably priced for a commercial hood of that size. The grates, which are designed to capture grease and smoke, are a decent portion of the price. They are not necessary for brewing except perhaps they might be needed to properly capture condensation due to the grate angle vs the flat underside of the top. Thinking a bit, I kind of remember getting ceiling drips where improperly sized grates left a gap. What I don't see is a drip cup where the grease would drain to. I worked in multiple restaurants, in one we had to climb up at closing time and run the grates through the dishwasher, wipe down the hood, and empty the grease cup every night. The hood appears to have a drip channel around the interior including the sides. I use a wash cloth or half an old hand towel to wipe down with on my own hood, it's not that much moisture as far as a collecting cup.
The grates are meant to capture particulates and prevent fires. They seal the exhaust space forcing air travel through the channels. It's a good idea to keep the grease and other stuff out of the exhaust ducts in case of a fire. That's what you are paying for with these.
There's no fan mentioned at the Vevor site either, plus additional duct work and a wall or roof exhaust is needed too. For my half keg design, the transition piece off the hood to the duct would have been expensive to buy due to the curvature. I fabricated it myself. It seems something is attached to the Vevor model. You probablty will need a duct crimping tool too. A pair of needlenose pliers can work in a pinch. One end is crimped already on the ducts and fittings.
The grates are meant to capture particulates and prevent fires. They seal the exhaust space forcing air travel through the channels. It's a good idea to keep the grease and other stuff out of the exhaust ducts in case of a fire. That's what you are paying for with these.
There's no fan mentioned at the Vevor site either, plus additional duct work and a wall or roof exhaust is needed too. For my half keg design, the transition piece off the hood to the duct would have been expensive to buy due to the curvature. I fabricated it myself. It seems something is attached to the Vevor model. You probablty will need a duct crimping tool too. A pair of needlenose pliers can work in a pinch. One end is crimped already on the ducts and fittings.
Perhaps look at a restaurant supply business for a used item or a dented item at a cheaper price. Facebook might be an option too. $800 seems steep considering you still need other pars to make it functional.
I fabricated mine from a galvanized tub, inverted with a six inch diameter flex and an inline exhaust fan to an outside wall. It's on a pulley that I lower to above the brew kettle during the boil.
I fabricated mine from a galvanized tub, inverted with a six inch diameter flex and an inline exhaust fan to an outside wall. It's on a pulley that I lower to above the brew kettle during the boil.
