Electric brewery ventilation questions....

[tigerbalm2424]

Working through my brewery build and have a couple questions regarding ventilation. Room walls/floor/elec done and starting to install large ticket items. Its a 20 gallon all electric setup. Working to build condensate hood for ventilation. Currently planning for 30x72x12 hood. Wondering a few things others are using as i cant seem to find in searches:

1. What piping type is used to connect from hood to outlet?

2. Does the piping have a downward slope towards outlet for condensation?

3. How is the piping terminated to exterior of house? Currently i was planning to pipe to attic above room and then horizontal to exterior of house.

4. Anyone terminate through roof or is everyone horizontally terminating?

Thanks.

 

[RM-MN]

Galvanized steel piping in case of a fire or too much heat for plastic. Sloping to the outside is good, going through the roof is better avoided if possible. There are fittings available to allow venting without rain coming in. Check with a lumber yard as they would know what is available currently. Make sure to have a fan for the vent and a fresh air intake too as with that big of a boil pot you will likely be needing a fair amount of air exchange.

 

[tigerbalm2424]

Thanks for the reply. Wondering if there would be any downsides to terminating the outlet on the soffit? Currently the brewery only has an attic trusses above it. Easiest place logistically to terminate would be the soffit on side of house. It would be slope downward and then turn 90 downward to the soffit.

Anyone done this before?

 

[jalc6927]

You should always have an outlet if sending into attic, whether through roof, side of house using a dryer vent or by soffit

 

[tigerbalm2424]

Yes, thanks. Has anyone vented through soffit before? Wondering if they can share pictures or input on how their system works or challenges they had.

 

[Dcpcooks]

I’m in the middle of my build and I can share a few things I’ve learned

At a minimum go with an 8” galvanized duct from the hood to the wall cap. 10” is better if you can fit it.

You need roughly 125-150 cfm for each foot of hood. So that puts you at 750+ cfm.

Each 90 degree elbow will really reduce flow so keep it as straight as possible.

Match your make up air duct to your exhaust duct size. Consider routing your make up air into your furnace return. That will Allow you to temper the air your bringing in. That way your not dumping humid air into your space in summer.

I used an electric damper on the make up air. It’s wired into the fan switch so it opens when I run the fan. A timer switch may work better.

Insulate your duct work! Tape all the joints tightly, Silicone caulk is better.

Plan for a small drip tray by the fan.

I tried a 6” fan on a 9’ run of 6” pipe and I got a lot of condensation at the hood exit and at the fan.

Do a test boil before you finish the drywall and tape. I had to rip mine out and make adjustments.

The key is to move as much air as possible.

 

[vantreat]

Working through my brewery build and have a couple questions regarding ventilation. Room walls/floor/elec done and starting to install large ticket items. Its a 20 gallon all electric setup. Working to build condensate hood for ventilation. Currently planning for 30x72x12 hood. Wondering a few things others are using as i cant seem to find in searches:

1. What piping type is used to connect from hood to outlet?

2. Does the piping have a downward slope towards outlet for condensation?

3. How is the piping terminated to exterior of house? Currently i was planning to pipe to attic above room and then horizontal to exterior of house.

4. Anyone terminate through roof or is everyone horizontally terminating?

Thanks.

EDIT: Are you going to end up going vertical and out the soffit? I am working on a basement build and general home remodel so have everything down to the studs. The builder is recommending we go up through an interior wall and then horizontal out the soffit. Most things I’ve seen on here go directly out the side of the house so interested in your research to see if you’ve learned anything else.

 

[wyowolf]

agreed. I used a 6 in 650 cfm with a straight shot of 3 ft or so out the wall, I still get quite a bit of condensation on the hood... plus the fact that it ROARS like a freight train!

 

[itsnotrequired]

i brew in my basement, have a 450 cfm vortex fan, 6" duct. it is a 8' or so horizontal run out the side of the hood to the fan (fan is horizontal mount). there is a 90 elbow up on the fan discharge, a small 6" straight vertical section, another 90 to turn horizontal again and then another foot or so to the exterior wall. overall, maybe 12' total length. my run is perpendicular to the ceiling joists above (unfinished area of the basement), hence the jogs on the discharge to get up around the joists and out. you're pretty much guaranteed to get some condensation in the fan housing so i use that as my low point drain (drilled a hole and have a little cup under it to catch water). i get some condensation in the run from the hood to the fan but because it is pitched toward the fan, the liquid doesn't run into the hood. i'll get a little 'fogging' on the portion of the hood above the boil kettle during the boil but never enough to cause dripping in the brew area.