Suspended hood dimensions

[Shaun]

A local sheet metal worker can bend a hood for me. I am looking for some basic dimensions and recomendations for a 3x10 evaporator. Possibly stack size, 1 or 2 stacks, drip tray size around the inside, width of the top, height of the sides and angled peices, and so on. I plan on suspending this hood.

thanks for any and all info.

[Haynes Forest Products]

When you say suspended? Will the hood sit on the evap rails during the boil? If you look at my fotobucket you will see a simple hood that 1 guy can pick up and carry away. Its low and works great. My steam stack is 14" Its out of a 5 X 10 sheet of 20 guage Aluminum fast and easy.

[Shaun]

I hoped to be able to mount it with a few small chain hoists I have lying around. I planned on this being a foot or a little more above the pans. Do you think this will be a problem with getting the steam out of the shack. I have an old garage with no coupalo, I was hoping not to cut a hole in the roof.

[lakeview maple]

Shaun ,thats what I did I built my own hood and I made it about 3 inches wider and longer ,that way any condensation that did collect didnt drip back in the pan ,I used metal strapping and suspended it about 30 inches above it with a 8 inch stack 2 feet out of the roof,it draws nice and I dont get a ton of steam in the sugar house,when its damp out it gets a little thick then we just open the doors,hope this helps and I am located in upstate NY as well,where are you located,Al @lakeView Maple

[RUSTYBUCKET]

Al - After running your homebuilt hood, would you recommend some type of drip collection channel ? Just curious how much condensation you get dripping off the hood.

Thanks

- Russ

[lakeview maple]

I would ,its not a whole lot but you do get some ,if you could put a small bend on both inner sides and have it go to a collection tube or container it would be better,this was my first year boiling and I built the hood from duct work and a welded angle iron frame ,I built my frame bigger than my pans 2x6 and then formed the metal and ends .it took a couple of hours and worked great.Good luck and God bless ,Al ps hind sight is always better,Ill have a lip this year already in the works for a little customizing.

[Haynes Forest Products]

So you build a hood and a steam stack BUT where does it go to. Plus a closed steam hood pushes the steam out of the bldg. A open hood depends on heat to draw the steam out and needs makeup air.

[TimJ]

If you are going to have a hood made you should definitely also build a preheater to fit inside it...

Post up pics when it is all done!

[red maples]

Al - After running your homebuilt hood, would you recommend some type of drip collection channel ? Just curious how much condensation you get dripping off the hood.

Thanks

- Russ

I am planning on my own hood out of aluminum for my 2x6 this year and found ah I guess you would say a 3 sided square piece one of the box store thats pretty cheap a little silicone in the corners that would collected the condensation and was gonna put in a little tube into a bucket.

Also If you have a hood without a fan in it and it fits tight to the flue pan doesn't won't you loose a little boiling rate because the steam needs to be pushed out??? if you have a fan them you are pulling the steam. just thinking

[Haynes Forest Products]

Try this little experiment. Get in the car and run the heater fan with the windows down and then upMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM If you have a whole house fan run it with the doors and window closed tight and you will notice the shutters wont open all the way then open a door and the fan runs faster. Having a fan in a closed system doesn't make much sense. Having a small CFM fan pulling cold air into the steam hood during the boil wont improve the situation. Now if you could get a large fan and suck in nice hot 220 degree air now were talking. As the steam is generated it will push its self out of the hood just fine and with the finish pan side open it will create a nice draft that will clear the sap shack of all steam when it gets the room warmed up and has MAKE UP AIR.

[Brent]

To take Haynes thoughts a step further, have openings, doors or windows on all 4 sides of the shack if possible, and open the one on the windward side to actually help force the steam up and out.

[lakeview maple]

I built the hood and installed it the first year,it seems to draw just fine with about 8 ft of stack,the only time we had a steam problem was when it was a damp day outside which added to the humidity,my only adjustment will be a lip to catch condensation into a tube to a bucket or outside which ever is easier.We considered adding a small fan inside the stack pipe but it was never needed,there are some pics on my profile while we were boiling and you can see the steam wasnt very bad,and with the front door open it did help with the draft . Good Luck and God Bless ,Al