Easy & Cheap Stainless Vent Hood

[ballz50401]

Also curious how heavy it is, if you remember. Weight doesn't seem to be a stat most fans list.

From what I could find the 4" inline fans weigh around 8 or 9 pounds.

Can you snap a few pictures of your mounting/hanging bracket where it connects to the fan apparatus?

I built my mounting bracket from Slotted Angle Steel. I attached the mounting bracket to the floor joist using two lag screws. The weight of the vent fan caused it to tip forward from the bracket. I corrected this issue by installing a smaller hose clamped looped through the larger hose clamp. This small hose clamp also served as the final level adjustment for the vent fan. Feel free to ask any more questions if anyone has any. I've brewed with this vent fan for a year now and it has helped produce 22 batches of brew (...and 11 medals ).

 

[ballz50401]

more photos

 

[NewBrewB]

If you have a Ocean State Job Lot (or something similar) they have similar mixing bowls (not sure about 30qt, but they sure are large!).

Great tip! Picked one up this morning for $12.

 

[boondocksaint]

I just started my eHERMS set up & ventilation was something I had not worked out...Looks like I've got my answer!

BTW, how much clearance did you build in b/t the BK and the fan?

Awesome idea. Thanks!

 

[ballz50401]

BTW, how much clearance did you build in b/t the BK and the fan?

The distance from the top of my keggle to the bottom lip of the vent hood is about 14".

 

[baist111]

more photos

I built a replica of your setup for my basement, used pretty much the same stuff, however my hose run is only 2 feet to the nearest window.

I did a test run last night and 15 minutes into the boil I started to get moisture dripping from the outlet of the fan, kinda looks like you have some moisture in your pics as well. After a while it started to pool on the lip of the bowl. Has that ever been an issue for you?

I had no condensation on the inside of the bowl.

 

[NFryan]

I built a replica of your setup for my basement, used pretty much the same stuff, however my hose run is only 2 feet to the nearest window.

I did a test run last night and 15 minutes into the boil I started to get moisture dripping from the outlet of the fan, kinda looks like you have some moisture in your pics as well. After a while it started to pool on the lip of the bowl. Has that ever been an issue for you?

I had no condensation on the inside of the bowl.

I have noticed with my fan that the closer i get the fan to the top of my kettle the better. Also the amount of moisture I have really depends on the humidity in the air, as well as the ambient air temps. Some days no moisture at all. Some days the outter rim of the bowl is loaded with water.

 

[ballz50401]

If you're seeing some condensation on the outside of the bowl, try tightening up the clamp on the duct to blower connection. That seemed to help with mine. A rubber seal could be easily fabricated to help too.

 

[baist111]

If you're seeing some condensation on the outside of the bowl, try tightening up the clamp out the duct to blower connection. That seemed to help with mine. A rubber seal could be easily fabricated to help too.

Thanks for the reply. I thought I had the clamp on as tight as possible, but maybe I can retry. I hadn't thought about the rubber seal, that might do the trick. I also have some reflective tape that I could try to put under the clamp as well, like this stuff: http://t.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix-2-in-x-30-ft-Reflective-Foil-Tape-FT210/100318556/

That should seal up any gap between the fan and exhaust pipe. I'll try to post back with results.

 

[NFryan]

Mine seems to also leak from the screw holes on the fan brackets and mounting points. Im going to put food grade high temp silicone under each screw and tighten it up.

 

[stickyfinger]

Wow, pretty neat and cheap. I was wondering if the HLT really needed ventilation if you use a lid. Are people still satisfied with these setups? Anything you would change about it if you did it over?

 

[ballz50401]

Wow, pretty neat and cheap. I was wondering if the HLT really needed ventilation if you use a lid. Are people still satisfied with these setups? Anything you would change about it if you did it over?

I have never heated my HLT past 185F and have had no issues with just leaving the lid on. I'm still satisfied with my design for my needs. My basement is about 700 sq. ft. (350 on the brewing side and 350 on the finished side) and my vent hood is located about 15 ft. from my furnace so the 4" inline fan works pretty well for me. A 6" inline fan would probably be a better choice for garages or larger basements.

 

[stickyfinger]

Why does your furnace location matter?

 

[inkedfireman]

If you have a gas burning appliance like a hot water heater or a furnace in the same area, and they use ambient room air for combustion (don't have an external air intake) you run the risk of backdrafting them if you have an exhaust fan going when they are operating.

In other words, your fan is pushing air out, it has to be made up from somewhere. If your chimneys are the path of least resistance, air will be pulled in from them, as well as the exhaust/CO from your furnace/HWH if they are operating.

 

[stickyfinger]

Sure. I didn't think of that. My furnace is high eff. so that's ok. My wtr htr has a monster draft too. Thanks for that!


I guess it would still be best to provide makeup air though, maybe through a basement window on the other side of the house?

 

[NewBrewB]

A variable speed control will help too, if you don't need the full potential of the fan at a rolling boil

 

[rdavidw]

Here is my vent set-up:











Works great. Zero heat, humidity and smell in the house. I mounted the bowl up too high so I then added the skirt to make the opening lower and larger. I then hung a light in it. I have a veritable speed controller mounted on the wall behind it. Its not pretty but it works very well.

 

[bloombrews]

How is the smoke Hefe? I use cherrywood smoked malt. Sounds like a good mix - smoked malt with the banana/clove of the Weizen yeast...

 

[stickyfinger]

Wow, that's an ugly exhaust hood!

 

[Woodbrews]

That thing looks like a Saturn V rocket engine. Be careful!

 

[stickyfinger]

there is a lot of shiny-ness in that brewery, like something from a NASA story

 

[ballz50401]

How is the smoke Hefe? I use cherrywood smoked malt. Sounds like a good mix - smoked malt with the banana/clove of the Weizen yeast...

It turned out very well! Great summer brew to enjoy next to a late night campfire. I used 25% Beechwood smoked malt and 3% Cherrywood smoked malt.

 

[pinky1]

for everyone who has done one of these did you all put the fan right at the bowl like the one pictured, or did some of you put the fan mid duct? I have to run about 5 foot total of duct from the bowl to the window and just due to ease of set up and stability, I was hoping run about two feet of the duct from the bowl, then have the fan, and then run another 2-3 feet of duct to the window. Does anyone see this being a problem? I dont think it would really matter where in the line the fan is but I might be wrong. Thanks

 

[NewBrewB]

I haven't assembled mine yet but I really like your idea. That will make it way easier to pull the hood out of the way when not brewing..... I agree though...shouldn't make a diff where the fan is in the system--its more about the length of the run...

Actually maybe it does matter. These fans have got to be better at pushing air than pulling it... Any HVAC people out there care to comment? I'd love to install the fan about 4' from the hood/bowl.

 

[stickyfinger]

I don't know how performance is affected by moving the fan (seems like you lose pull going one way and lose push going the other way and it is a tossup as long as you don't have any leaks.)

Seems like the reason he installed the fan right at the bowl is that he uses the plastic tube of the fan to poke through the bowl and then affix a clamp to hold it. If you move the fan to another location, you have to figure out a way to attach the duct to the bowl. Also, you have to come up with a way to hold up the bowl so that it doesn't tear down your flexible duct.

 

[Minbari]

I would think CFM is CFM. weather you are pulling it through the duct or pushing it through, if you have 200 CFM of air moving, after losses, then you have that much air moving.

planning on doing this for my setup as well, since I am in my basement and my test boil quickly showed how much water goes into the air.

Found a 15.25" diameter stainless mixing bowl at costco for $8! just need a fan now!

 

[Qtrhoss]

I like the "Bowl hood" idea but the system I built would be a bit big for the 30 quart bowl. Considering I am a bit of a junk yard rat, (brew table burners out of old propane water heaters and such) and I love the idea of re-purposing stuff, I think I may have a solution that will better cover my system.

Every time I have gone to a scrap yard or even the county dump, there are always old bar-b-q grills there - Many are stainless steel, with just the burners or racks burnt up. That leaves a very nice stainless steel hood and some of them are BIG. Easy off would make short work for cleaning the inside. I can trash pick one of these for a few bucks, depending on size, because they sell "Picked" stuff for $.20 to $.25 per pound. Many times they just tell me to take smaller, lighter weight stuff for free if I bribe them with a 6 pack of home brew now and again! I am sure that there are scrap yards near many of you that would love to try some perfectly aged, home made goodness.

It amazes me how people react when you offer them a beer of friendship!

Thanks for the starter idea! Saturday, it is off to the salvage for a grill hood! I might even be able to find an old furnace blower for my fan!

 

[NewBrewB]

I'm afraid to try junkyarding.....it would definitely lead to me becoming a hoarder with various items I might be able to use "for a project". Love the SS grill cover idea though.

 

[stabu]

What kind of fan would I need to push 30 feet of ductwork?

 

[Stealthcruiser]

What kind of fan would I need to push 30 feet of ductwork?

Electric...........