How high can a hood be?

[warriorcoach]

Hi all-

Setting up my basement for an EBIAB system and found a decent exhaust hood. It can pull 220cfm on the high setting. I was running through the electrical stuff with my father in law and started talking about the hood. He said it needed to be mounted at the same height it would be in the kitchen or it wouldn't work to pull out the steam. I want to mount it higher so I can raise the bag to drain. He said that will be too high and will not work to pull the steam out. I think it will still work mounting it higher (I'm in the basement and bottom of joists are about 7 1/2 feet- I was going to mount it to bottom of joists). So - what say you HBT brewers?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

How high can a hood be?

From wikipedia...Compton, California is 69 ft. (21 m.) above sea level.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I would say it depends on the manufacturers recommendation.

 

[1975brewer]

I have mine mounted at the ceiling & it does a great job.
76" ceiling

 

[warriorcoach]

Just says "mount it below the cabinet" since they are meant to be in a kitchen under the cabinets. Usually there is a minimum height required so you don't melt anything.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

This isn't one of those recirculating hoods is it?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Your hood should come with a spec sheet like this one. Note the lower right-hand corner. If not, Google your model number for the info.

 

[dyqik]

From wikipedia...Compton, California is 69 ft. (21 m.) above sea level.

Mount Hood is considerably higher, while the wreck of HMS Hood is considerably lower.

 

[warriorcoach]

http://www.nutone.com/products/product/3a6f2af8-196e-45d6-bec4-eb5d840d5dec

This is the one I have. Paid $50 for it.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

http://www.nutone.com/products/product/3a6f2af8-196e-45d6-bec4-eb5d840d5dec

This is the one I have. Paid $50 for it.

According to the spec sheet the recommended mounting distance from the cook-top is 24" - 30". That's measuring to the top of the hood. The unit itself is 7 1/4" high, so that's 16 3/4" - 22 3/4" to the bottom of the unit (distance from cook-top to hood).

These are just recommended distances. Mounting it closer would involve the risk of damage. Mounting further away would reduce the effectiveness.

 

[warriorcoach]

At 16-22" I wouldn't even have room to fit the 15 gallon pot. Think I am going to go high, then I can always lower if needed. Thanks for all te replies and insight.

 

[processhead]

You have to position the hood height to balance two competing factors:

1) The closer you position the hood to the kettle, the more steam it will capture and remove from your brew space.

2) That has to be balanced with maintaining enough clearance to allow you to add ingredients to the kettle, stirring, hoisting the bag, you get the idea...

The downside of 2) is that your system will be less efficient in removing humidity from the space.
This can be partially offset with a higher CFM blower.

 

[warriorcoach]

Well, hopefully 220cfm will pull enough out. If not I will lower it til it works.

 

[agrazela]

An interesting read on commercial hood design considerations:
http://www.berriman-usa.com/pdf_brochures/commercial_kitchen_hood_design_guide_1_031504.pdf

Cliffs: put some side shields / containment on it and the hood is much more effective.

 

[BrewWho]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f256/easy-cheap-stainless-vent-hood-418665/

I would read up on this thread. Proven designs that work. I initially went with a small cfm fan (240) and had to move up to a 580cfm fan to capture all of the steam. That is with my 15 gal kettle and it being 22in above it. There are a lot of factors that affect how efficiently you can remove the steam that you will have to look at, just read up before you start buying, that's my advice.