Easy & Cheap Stainless Vent Hood

[theck]

I plan on doing it as well but will be a while let me know how yours works out.

 

[stickyfinger]

After a lot of shopping around and reading reviews, I went with this one:

High Velocity Inline Duct Fan-6" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EC01XS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

530 cfm I expect it to be more than I need but I have always gone with the mantra "Buy big or buy twice". Also, even though my run is only about 8' I really don't want ANY moisture condensing and dripping back down... Figured this would push everything out before it has a chance to cool/condense

How is the noise level on that Tjernlund M-6 fan? Seems like the best fan as far as power/cost. I just want to get something that's going to for sure be strong enough to get the job done.

 

[Hello]

I'm glad someone pointed another member to this thread. I am ordering the bowl and will likely go with a 400 CFM fan. I will be all electric 5500W elements. I also caught the variable controller, which is nice. I'm nervous about cutting the hole in the bowl with a jigsaw though. Has that been found to be fairly easy? I have a good jigsaw and metal cutting blades.

 

[Bonas96]

Plus thats under my air makeup requirement.

How did you determine your air makeup requirement. It is this piece that has me puzzled and reluctant to pull the trigger.

I only need about 220 cfm based on wattage of my boil coil.

 

[BrewWho]

How did you determine your air makeup requirement. It is this piece that has me puzzled and reluctant to pull the trigger.

I only need about 220 cfm based on wattage of my boil coil.

I found mine using this chart. Basically determine which column best describes your gas appliances and multiply the value by your square footage.

I choose column B 0.09 X 2700 sq. ft. = 243cfm. This is what your house can makeup so you want to stay below this with the vent fan. Id imagine this isn't dead on but it should get you in the ball bark. Plus I'm not an expert by any means

 

[adroc]

How is the noise level on that Tjernlund M-6 fan? Seems like the best fan as far as power/cost. I just want to get something that's going to for sure be strong enough to get the job done.

I have what looks like the 8" version of this fan and at max speed (770 CFM), it can be a bit loud. Luckily I have never had to run it at full speed and keep it at around 40% with a speed controller and the noise is not bad at all. I am using this speed controller http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003URBQ1M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Hello]

Ordered my bowl and soon will order the fan. I'm excited.

 

[BrewWho]

I forgot to add that you take your fans cfm and multiply it by .8 Im still looking for the thread on here that had the worksheet to determine air makeup

 

[BrewWho]

Found it!!!!!
http://www.structuretech1.com/2013/10/how-to-determine-if-makeup-air-is-required/

 

[Bonas96]

Glad I could help! I spent many hours searching for a decent looking hood to use for a centrifugal inline fan and stumbled across a mixing bowl.

Here are some links of what I used:

30 qt mixing bowl: http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/update-international/mb-3000hd/p1457355.aspx

MTN Gearsmith 4" Inline Fan: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZTJJ5Y/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

To OP, are you still happy with the 4" fan, or would you do 6" looking back? Ready to pull the trigger!

 

[ballz50401]

To OP, are you still happy with the 4" fan, or would you do 6" looking back? Ready to pull the trigger!

I am happy with the 4", but the 6" with variable speed control would be a nice upgrade and allow for greater flexibility.

 

[NewBrewB]

How is the noise level on that Tjernlund M-6 fan?

I love it but in our record cold night last night I did have to wedge a blanket up in there to stop cold air from blowing into the house.

 

[adroc]

I love it but in our record cold night last night I did have to wedge a blanket up in there to stop cold air from blowing into the house.

You need to get something like this for the outside of the vent. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049I6LL6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[smashed4]

Does anyone have problem with condensation with these fans?

I am using a ventech 4" inline fan, rated at 190 cfm.

Condensation is forming inside the fan and accumulating in the duct.. I could better design my duct so it flows outside but I don't think the vapor is supposed to condense that much in the duct..

I am also afraid the water condensing in the fan will accumulate in the fan.

I have a temporary setup venting through a window, I just wanted to test the fan and duct before a permanent install through the wall. It was very cold outside (14F) and about 50F in the garage brewery which probably did not help..

The fan seems to have ample power as I could see the steam blow many feet outside with good speed.. but the water was condensing everywhere..

 

[stickyfinger]

I have what looks like the 8" version of this fan and at max speed (770 CFM), it can be a bit loud. Luckily I have never had to run it at full speed and keep it at around 40% with a speed controller and the noise is not bad at all. I am using this speed controller http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003URBQ1M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Damn! that's a big fan!

 

[stickyfinger]

You need to get something like this for the outside of the vent. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049I6LL6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

is that simple louver enough to keep the cold air from coming in when the fan isn't running? I was also wondering if maybe my dryer vent exhaust would be pulled in when i run my fan. I'm really not sure where the makeup air will come from. It could come through the dryer exhaust vent, from the first floor through an old floor grate or even through my somewhat leaky side door to my basement. i thought about putting in a makeup air hole in another window or in the rim joist, but i don't want more cold air coming into the basement.

 

[stickyfinger]

does anyone use a Variable Autotransformer (e.g. "Variac") for controlling their fan speed? I have one lying around that I can use, and this website seems to say it would work pretty well:

https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/buying-the-correct-fan-speed-controller.60640/

I tried looking for a Variable Frequency Drive for fun, but they are pretty hard to come by and are most likely over-kill.

On a side note, why do the rotary fan speed controllers always start with off, then go to High, then go down to Low as you rotate the knob? Is there a way to make one that goes from Off to Low and then up to High? Just curious.

 

[stickyfinger]

sorry, one more question. Is there a way to figure out how many CFM I need based on the wattage of the boil element, the duct size and the number of elbows in my vent line? I'm just curious.

 

[ballz50401]

Something looks familiar in this months Brew Your Own magazine.

View attachment 1421187527220.jpg

 

[adroc]

Something looks familiar in this months Brew Your Own magazine.

That's awesome, I didn't even notice that when mine came in the mail last week.

 

[adroc]

It should do the trick but I cant guarantee it as I have mine venting out a basement window like this which I just close when not using it.

 

[BrewWho]

sorry, one more question. Is there a way to figure out how many CFM I need based on the wattage of the boil element, the duct size and the number of elbows in my vent line? I'm just curious.

Stickyfinger, you take the element wattage and divide it by 17.6 to get your cfm required. For duct size i found a few charts but they are all for fans below 125 cfm but it will give you an idea of how elbows along duct size and length will affect your system.

http://resaveguide.lbl.gov/step-6-duct-design

 

[stickyfinger]

Stickyfinger, you take the element wattage and divide it by 17.6 to get your cfm required. For duct size i found a few charts but they are all for fans below 125 cfm but it will give you an idea of how elbows along duct size and length will affect your system.

http://resaveguide.lbl.gov/step-6-duct-design

thanks! that's interesting.

 

[DrunkenWeasel]

You know that feeling you get when you've been pondering a problem for a while, only to discover that someone has already come up with a much better solution than what you had envisioned? That's exactly how I feel after reading your post. Thanks!

 

[Bonas96]

Has anyone figured a way to make the height adjustable? I have been looking into the Blichmann Breweasy and if I do, I would want the hood up and out of the way until I was ready for the boil, and then ideally I could pull it down over the BK for the boil.

 

[NewBrewB]

If you mount it high enough with a strong enough fan, it will do the job just fine without being in the way. I have a 13" gap between the BK and the rim of the mixing bowl, with a 7xx cfm fan. Works great.

 

[BrewWho]

Got the hood setup. Working well so far


View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421806199.333403.jpg

 

[theck]

Got the hood setup. Working well so

What fan did you get?

 

[BrewWho]

its the 6in

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N4QIZG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[theck]

its the 6in

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N4QIZG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Thanks, that's the one I'm think I'll use as well, report back after you use it a few times if you don't mind.