Condensate Hood, ventilation

[moinkyschmoink]

Hi All,

I'm working on a build in my new garage, having issues trying to figure out how to deal with with condensate above my brew set up.
I do not currently have a drain or water ran to garage. My plan is to build a pretty long "shower pan" and run a drain to a line running parallel to the garage.then use a coupler system to attach and detach water on brew days.
My former setup was a single tier propane fired set up and I've switched over to full electric. This solves the gas issues, but the condensate is my challenge.
I purchased one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T75SS7...abc_FAX62PG8M4Y09AM66HMQ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
This can be positioned over the boil and mash kettle area, but will not solve the ceiling drips.
What do I need to build to keep condensate sliding down and out the area above the pots? My thoughts are a simple angled area (45°) from wall to ceiling frame it up and wrap with metal. Will this work?

 

[Golddiggie]

There are kettle SCLs (steam condenser lids) that are available and fit a range of other maker kettles. I have one on my Spike 20 gallon BK (all from Spike. I made the switch from propane to electric earlier this year and included the lid since I KNEW I would want to brew inside sooner or later. Wasn't long before I moved things into the garage (instead of brewing in the driveway under a canopy). SCL works pissah. draining into buckets by default. IF you have a drain setup (or drain channel/trough) you could let it flow right into that if you wanted to. Right now I just use a couple of buckets to catch from the SCL and have another for the pump. Come winter I'm planning to run a longer length of tubing out of the garage door, so that I can mostly close said door to keep it warmer when it gets really cold out.

 

[moinkyschmoink]

There are kettle SCLs (steam condenser lids) that are available and fit a range of other maker kettles. I have one on my Spike 20 gallon BK (all from Spike. I made the switch from propane to electric earlier this year and included the lid since I KNEW I would want to brew inside sooner or later. Wasn't long before I moved things into the garage (instead of brewing in the driveway under a canopy). SCL works pissah. draining into buckets by default. IF you have a drain setup (or drain channel/trough) you could let it flow right into that if you wanted to. Right now I just use a couple of buckets to catch from the SCL and have another for the pump. Come winter I'm planning to run a longer length of tubing out of the garage door, so that I can mostly close said door to keep it warmer when it gets really cold out.

I've looked at those, actually the same from spike. They make one that should fit my 30 gallon megapot, but that's alot of water and drainage. I'm hoping to just remove the condensation without having ro pump more water in. Since this does not involve grease I was hoping to find a cheap, rudimentary condensate hood with a vent. I bought 2 fermenters from spike, they make great stuff, but I'd like to be able to hit a switch and problem solved. Hood seems way easier if it's possible in budget.

 

[DuncB]

Agree with @Golddiggie
SCL the way to go, cheaper than a hood, less noisy and does the job. You still need some kind of general extractor in the wall as there is still excess moisture around but brewday indoors yesterday with two brews, 60 litres of beer made, washing etc. No way could I have been outside at 7 celsius and over an inch of rain. I just drain into buckets and then pour the condensate down the sink.

 

[DuncB]

I've looked at those, actually the same from spike. They make one that should fit my 30 gallon megapot, but that's alot of water and drainage. I'm hoping to just remove the condensation without having ro pump more water in. Since this does not involve grease I was hoping to find a cheap, rudimentary condensate hood with a vent. I bought 2 fermenters from spike, they make great stuff, but I'd like to be able to hit a switch and problem solved. Hood seems way easier if it's possible in budget.

How does a condensate hood work without some form of cold side? I did before I made the SCL use an extractor fan on the end of a piece of ducting blowing out of the open door. Greatly reduced the steam but water in the ducting, electricity and impractical having the door open encouraged a more elegant solution to be found. Some of the SCL systems use a small aquarium pump to move the water out of a bucket thru the condenser and then into another bucket.
You can use the warm water for washing / washing machine or irrigation.

 

[Golddiggie]

Problem with a condensate hood is how they will drip back down over what they're covering. Just the nature of the beast. Plus you'll need a beefy fan pulling air out through the hood. Even when I move to my own house (I'm renting right now) I doubt I'll go for the hood. Especially how the SCL is a fraction of the cost.

You could do what I do and simply fill the source bucket with a hose (with a shutoff on the end). Get a large enough container and you reduce the times you need to fill it.

I did try using a pump to move the waste water from the SCL out, but it was warm enough to cause the pump issues after a couple of uses. Easier for me to simply dump the waste water out the driveway as the buckets fill up (I don't use it to clean). I do plan to have a floor drain in the brewing area when I get my own house. Will make things like this a LOT easier. Not to mention easier for general cleanup.

My control panel from Electric Brewing Supply includes the control for a SCL lid pump as well. So single panel to do everything I need.

BTW, I'm on well water, so I don't have to pay per gallon used (or pay for the sewage charges as well). Hope to have a well for my water at my next place.

 

[DuncB]

I should just get a 1000 litre cube and catch the rain water and pump that in and out again but the tap is very convenient and no water meter.

The only other way to manage it would be to stress out a dehumidifier as an extractor on the kettle but I doubt it would cope. Would be a room humidity manager but not got the guts for all that evaporate from a beer.

 

[Golddiggie]

@DuncB I might look into a rain catchment system when I get my own house (hopefully next year). IF I can gather enough water to at least provide for the SCL, and some other items where the water temperature isn't important, that would be nice. I wouldn't do it for my chill water though, since I want that as cold as possible. Well, at least not during the months when that water would be above ground water temp. IF there's a time where it still flows, and is cold enough to better chill the wort, then it's an option. Which means fall through mid-spring most likely. But not through summer.

 

[moinkyschmoink]

I was referring to something like this: