BrewWho
Well-Known Member
I've been having issues getting all of the steam out of the basement. I've tried getting it lower but still no better results. I might just get the larger one and see what that does
Easy & Cheap Stainless Vent Hood
- Thread starter ballz50401
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I've been having issues getting all of the steam out of the basement. I've tried getting it lower but still no better results. I might just get the larger one and see what that does
The fan the issue? Wonder if the 8" would work better?
BrewWho
Well-Known Member
I tried blocking the wind outside to see if that was it and made the vent a straight shot up towards the vent but i still got escaping steam so I'm guess the 6in is not enough cfm. Im just going to buy the 8in and see what happens
How close do you have the bowl to the top of the BK? I use an 8" fan that sits about 6" above and have never had an issue with escaping steam, even when running it at 30% power. Did you make sure that all your joints are air tight?
BrewWho
Well-Known Member
I've brought it damn close to sitting on the kettle but you might be on to something with the leaks. Im going to recheck everything when i get home and retape with aluminum tape just to be sure.
Would one of you please elaborate on how you cut the hole in the bowl? Did you use any special technique to get a clean, round cut, or did you just drill a hole and use a jig saw to cut out from there?
**Disregard, the dremel tool got the job done nicely**
**Disregard, the dremel tool got the job done nicely**
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Hi.
240CFM should work, and under normal conditions makeup air is not required.
In your case, it may be needed.
Try opening a small window in your basement, while vent is on, and kettle is producing steam.
240CFM should work, and under normal conditions makeup air is not required.
In your case, it may be needed.
Try opening a small window in your basement, while vent is on, and kettle is producing steam.
aviator01
Well-Known Member
Nice press.
OP
OP
ballz50401
Well-Known Member
I just drilled a hole and then used a fine tooth blade with my jigsaw. I placed the fan on top of the bowl for my template line.
I measured the fan opening and used Microsoft word to print a circle template of the right size. I had a hard time centering and tracing the blower since it was so low profile.
Going to finish cutting mine tonight. Only had 1 old jig saw blade and it met its demise.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422633601.537600.jpg
Going to finish cutting mine tonight. Only had 1 old jig saw blade and it met its demise.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422633601.537600.jpg
stickyfinger
Well-Known Member
Do you guys think it would be a problem to go with a 20 quart bowl for my 20 gallon kettles? The 20 qt bowl I saw is about 19" diameter x about 6" deep. My kettle is almost 18" in diameter. I thought maybe I could reduce the size of the hood a bit and still get good extraction.
The minimum hood size is determined by:
1. Exhaust CFM (really exhaust velocity)
2. Size of area which produces gasses you want to vent.
3. Area of hood (must be at least as large as the source)
4. Height from hood to gas source.
If your hood area is very close to your generation area, you'll need to be closer, or increase the CFM.
Here's an empirically derived calculation that may help answer that question: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/exhaust-hoods-d_1036.html
TNugent
Well-Known Member
Agreed! My XL 650 is in the same room I brew in and use one of these vent hoods as well!
stickyfinger
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the link. I think in this situation I should probably defer to experience rather than using the equations, as much as I like equations. It is interesting that using a plate or sidewalls will increase the hood efficiency. Seems like making the hood wider is also better, but you have to increase flow to supply a larger hood too. I guess I'll see if I really need to go smaller or if I can just try the 30 qt size once I get my kettle and stand into position and play with dimensions.
stickyfinger
Well-Known Member
Well, I, of course, want to keep the vertical distance large too so I'm not annoyed by the rim!! I wonder how the shape impacts how well the hood works. Seems like the inverted bowl would be better than one with square edges.
If you're planning for a relatively large air gap (e.g. 2' or even more) I wouldn't touch the 20 qt and go right to the 30 qt. And get a BAF (big ass fan).
I would expect very little difference air flow from a 24" square hood vs a 24" round hood. The air flow is predominantly being pulled from the open area where the hood shape has little impact on that flow.
I would expect very little difference air flow from a 24" square hood vs a 24" round hood. The air flow is predominantly being pulled from the open area where the hood shape has little impact on that flow.
Probably too late to be helpful but I was going to suggest leaving 'tabs' when you cut the circle so you can bend them up and use rivets ($12 at Harbor Freight for the good one) to attach it to the fan. That way you have a perfect 90 degree turn up into the fan from the inside of the bowl, rather than the 3/4" or more of fan edge sticking down. Gotta be way more efficient and moisture will not keep dripping back down from the outside edge as some describe.
Yep too late. It is as you describe. I'm sure it'll drip a little bit but as long as it ends up back in the kettle it should be fine.
This is an awesome build but I can not get it from building up water in the fan. I brew with a 4500w keggle in my basement. I'm running the 6" fan and about 8' of 6" aluminum flexible duct that goes it a 4" dryer vent with a 6" to 4" adapter. The bowl is about a 10" above the keggle. I have tried opening windows for make up air but it always collect water. I have brewed 5 batches and they all leaked. Water accumulates in the fan and starts leaking out everywhere. I used food safe silicone in spot there was a leak and then covered it aluminum tape. I now have the exterior leaks stopped but now it sits in the fan. My last brew was a 90 min boil and it was filling with water every few minutes I'd have to try and get some of the water out with a paper towel over and over again because it dripping down and being flung all over it was a mess.
Is it because it goes into a 4" vent?
Is it because it goes into a 4" vent?
I just finished building and installing mine last night.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422807095.073068.jpg
Going to put my water distribution manifold back together in a few minutes and then hopefully do a ventilation test before the game starts.
How long are your hoses?
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422807095.073068.jpg
Going to put my water distribution manifold back together in a few minutes and then hopefully do a ventilation test before the game starts.
How long are your hoses?
How big is that fan (cfm)? Did you add a return path for makeup air?
BrewWho
Well-Known Member
I love my Dillion and now I can brew and reload. Talk about living the dream. Now for an indoor shooting range
I went back 8 pages and didn't see anywhere you might have posted what fan you are using.
OP
OP
ballz50401
Well-Known Member
Could you post some pictures or a video so we can have a better idea about where your issues may be caused? Reducing your duct from 6" to 4" will cause you to lose some cfm's. I have never had water drip down from my 4" fan. I use a 5500w element and normally boil between 60 to 90 minutes. I do 10 gallon batches and set my BCS-462 PID output at 65% and consistently get a 10% boiloff rate.
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I've been boiling around 70%-80% on the PID. I'm not sure of what my boil off numbers have been.
Ill be brewing tomorrow and I'll try and get a video up tomorrow night.
Well the description doesn't say not to use it in wet environments but the description of this one for $10 more directly addresses moisture:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BLEJ70/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
That was the deciding factor for me and I have been absolutely happy with it.
Maybe try calling the company and see what they say about using it to exhaust steam?
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Alright live update from the brewery testing this rig. 20 gallon blichmann with 5000 w boil cool at 65%. 30 qt mixing bowl with 449 CFM 6" fan reduced downstream to 4". Simulating 10G batch with 90 min boil.
1. Excellent airflow. All the steam is staying under the hood and is venting up. Nothing outside that. EDIT: Speed controller was probably a waste of $12. The faster the steam gets out the less it condenses.
2. Within a minute I was hit by a droplet of water. This fan isn't sealed for crap. It's coming out between the fan housing. Will fix tomorrow with silicone caulk and expect that to solve.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422927016.944208.jpg
3. Outside its cold (25F) and it looks like a dryer vent or heater vent. Huge cloud of steam billowing out. Bad news is some is condensing in the window sill. I'll have to see how much when done to determine if that's an issue.
Will update afterward.
1. Excellent airflow. All the steam is staying under the hood and is venting up. Nothing outside that. EDIT: Speed controller was probably a waste of $12. The faster the steam gets out the less it condenses.
2. Within a minute I was hit by a droplet of water. This fan isn't sealed for crap. It's coming out between the fan housing. Will fix tomorrow with silicone caulk and expect that to solve.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422927016.944208.jpg
3. Outside its cold (25F) and it looks like a dryer vent or heater vent. Huge cloud of steam billowing out. Bad news is some is condensing in the window sill. I'll have to see how much when done to determine if that's an issue.
Will update afterward.
Overall this worked really well - all the steam went out. To confirm that, I have a copper cold water pipe overhead and it didn't develop any condensation. Last time it was raining.
The fan housing leak the whole time. I'm going to seal that up with some silicone caulk all the way around. I think a better installation method would be to orient the fan on its side, drill a tiny hole in the bottom and install a drip line. That's not an option for me though due to how close I am to the window.
The ducting didn't have any condensation at all. Very odd given how much was in the fan housing.
All in all, this is a great cheap setup.
The fan housing leak the whole time. I'm going to seal that up with some silicone caulk all the way around. I think a better installation method would be to orient the fan on its side, drill a tiny hole in the bottom and install a drip line. That's not an option for me though due to how close I am to the window.
The ducting didn't have any condensation at all. Very odd given how much was in the fan housing.
All in all, this is a great cheap setup.
By chance, are you opening that window in the picture?
Yah I open the window and put the vent in the sill, then close the window in it. I then stuff a rag in the other side to prevent it from blowing back in between the panes. When I'm done I close the window, and put the vent in the other side for storage.
Can you snap a picture of it sitting in-place, just as you would use it?
So I got some videos from yesterday's brew. I'm wondering if I'm boiling to hard. I've a like a strong boil but since the move to electric I might be going to hard. I couldn't get a shot of inside the kettle boiling because of poor lighting and steam.
What percentage is everyone running there pids for a 5gal batch? What size element?
View attachment trim.E20709E5-493E-4C45-BD1F-4BC725C52558.MOV
View attachment trim.0B709291-D9FF-4AA4-B358-003B6A83F588.MOV
What percentage is everyone running there pids for a 5gal batch? What size element?
View attachment trim.E20709E5-493E-4C45-BD1F-4BC725C52558.MOV
View attachment trim.0B709291-D9FF-4AA4-B358-003B6A83F588.MOV
I had the same leaks I used food safe silicone and aluminum tape. The problem is now it all stays in the fan. see my video above.
It looks very similar to the previous picture I posted in post #141 on this thread. I take the drywall/vent piece out of the left side. I slide the window right-to-left to open it. I place the vent in the track on the right side, then slide the window right to close.
I'll be brewing on Saturday. I'll take a picture then.
Wow yours is full of water. I had little droplets raining out but nowhere near that much. It looks like yours has a lip right on the inside that is holding the water. Maybe drill some pin holes in the lip so it drains? My vortex fan has smooth edges so it drips freely.
I am running my boil at 65% of 5000W for a 10G batch (11.5-14G in the kettle).
