Steam hood question

[Tapped Out]

Does anyone vent their steam hood pipe up to the ventilator or coupala (not cutting a hole in the coupala roof)? wondering if this would work. I don't want to cut another hole in my roof if possible. Thanks!

[MISugarDaddy]

I don't have a steam hood, just the cupola, but I understand that venting it up into the cupola will work because I have seen it done that way. I can understand not wanting another hole in your roof.

[wnybassman]

The previous owner of the rig I bought this spring had the steam pipe go up to the cupola and elbow out one vent window or the other depending on which way the wind was blowing. He said it worked great. Not sure if I will do the same, or just let it go straight up and bellow out on its own.

[maple flats]

My hood has 2 steam vents, both 15" (one on the raised syrup pan hood and a second on the flue pan hood) and they terminate in the cupola. In fact they are suspended there . The hoods start with 2 @ 15" and they extend up 4'. Above that I have 2 stacks at 13" suspended from in the cupola and they extend into the lower, 15" stacks and overlap a few inches. When I raise my hood (I crank a winch) the 15" simply telescopes up outside the 13". In operation I get very little steam that goes out the loose overlap. In the cupola the tops of the stacks end just above the lower elevation on the opened vent doors and the steam drifts whichever way the wind is moving. It works very well.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

I ran my syrup pans hood into the cupola this past season. After trying that out, I think it is worth putting it through the roof, and putting a flip top lid on the top of the stack. The wind didn't always carry out the steam. Some days don't have wind, and others the pressure is off. If it is raining or snowing for example.

It is a pain to cut a hole in the roof, I know. However, when things are rumbling in the sugarhouse, visibility is nice. I like the idea flats had about the large and smaller pipe so they can "telescope" when lifting the hood. Otherwise you need to disassemble the stack when you want to lift the hood each time, which is a pain.

I have a 22" stack on the steam hood, so if I got a 24" roof boot, and put a cover on it, I could insert the 22" pipe from below and that would allow for it to go up and down without affecting the boot and lid, which are fixed. Sounds good to me.

That is the plan for now.

Ben

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have 2 steam stacks 10" in diamater and they both go through the roof. The Roof jacks are about 1/4" larger than the stack to allow it to slide up and down inside of it while still keeping it snug enough to keep the wind from damaging it. On top of both of those I have chinese hats and adding storm collars this year that will rivet to the stack and sit just above the roof jacks.

[RUSTYBUCKET]

Maple Flats -

As you stated, with your current set up you get very little steam escaping around the overlap. Do you think there would be any advantage if the vents were reversed...
i.e. a 13" venting into a 15". I ask because I was thinking of telescoping my 7" steam hood stack into an 8" vent through the roof to allow raising/lower of the hood. Thanks.

- Russ

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Would get quite bit of condensation running down and dripping on outside of hood from the larger pipe.

[maple flats]

That's exactly why I have the smaller pipe inside the larger one. Now all the condensation falls down onto a funnel and it then drains into the drain channel on the hood and then out into a bucket for disposal. I used to use that for warm/hot water before I had the RO and HW heater, now it just goes to the drain. I do still sometimes use it to wipe down the outside of the hoods and pans to maintain a nice shine.

[Tapped Out]

I like Maple Flats idea and am willing to try that first, as long as my partner in crime (my dad) is on board with it. I think we are concerned about condensation running down outside the steam pipe and slowing the boil. Maybe that will not happen, I don't know. I guess we will have to experiment with it first.
Thanks for everyone's input, there is a lot good people on this site willing to help out!

[maple flats]

You will get no steam (condensation) down the outside, but you get plenty of condensation down the inside. For that reason you need a large funnel to catch it all and then channel it to the inner hood drain. My funnels came with the hood, they are essentially like inverted Chinaman's hats with a drain in the bottom and are suspended in the hood under the stack bases, they are about 18" OD for my 15" stacks) Your hood must have a drain/gutter around the entire hood. The hood itself and the stack will generate condensation, regardless of whether you go thru the roof or terminate in the cupola. My stacks are suspended so the tops are roughly even with the bottom of the vent doors. You then want a SS or aluminum screened top hat to prevent things from falling into the pans (birds, bugs, etc.). On mine the top hat is just above the top of the opened cupola vent door.