Hood or Cupala

[325abn]

So I have a SS steam hood that I got with my rig. The hood is 3x3 and my pan is 2x4 with a 19" syrup pan and a 29" raised flue section. So the hood dosent fit quite right. The guy had it set up as a suspendend hood.

Today I sat the hood directly on my pan and ran a 8" X 5' stack though the vent in my shed. I covered the uncovered ends of the pan with sheet metal so now the pan is tight fitting.

I fired my rig up for a test boil and had a hard rolling boil very quickly and had a good draft of steam coming out of the stack and not much steam left in my shed.

This hood would also make a great prefabbed cupala for the top of my metal surgar shed.So I have to make a decision do I use this hood for a hood or a cupala? What option well produce and remove the most steam?

Any thoughts / Ideas?

[Jim Brown]

325- If you are looking to let every one know when your boiling use the cupalo idea on the roof. but if you are looking for more GPH from your rig leave the hood in place.
My thoughts!

[Sugarmaker]

325...,
If you like to be able to see what you are doing in the building keep the hood on the evaporator. Have you ever boiled with out a hood? The steam is generally about as deep as the top of the pans in the room. Also better to get the steam out if you want to reduce condensation in the room.
I have boiled in both and some days I miss the steam filled room for about 5 seconds. You can make good syrup either way, so your choice. Good luck and happy boiling. "Sometime we just have to run what we brung"
Regards,
Chris

[325abn]

Will as much steam be able to pass up and though the steam stack to the atmosphere as would if the pan was open?

I mean when the stack got going good, it was quite hot and the steam was coming out of it with what looked like pressure behind it. But is it as much as there would be without the restriction of the 8" stack? Or does the draft created by the stack pull more steam away from the pan than if it where open?

Am I making any since?

[Sugarmaker]

325..,
My two 10 inch stacks just have steam belching out when at full boil. If it wasn't coming out the stack a lot of it would be in the sugarhouse.
Yes the stack will get hot and you should get draft through the stack All sounds normal so far.:)
With 8 inch dia on this size hood you shouldn't have any restriction problem.


Regards,
Chris

[Russell Lampron]

You've got it, the stack will create a draft that will actually pull the steam out. Leave the hood on or over the pan and let the stack pull it outside.

Russ

[H. Walker]

I like to do both!! Use the steam hood and let it terminate in the cupola. With a cupola on the roof your shed will look like a sugar shack.