Vent fans.

[NHarcher]

I rehabbed an old garage into a sugar house. Added a 2x6 cupola and we maintain a solid steam bank about 6.5 feet up off the ground. Standing your head stays out of the clouds barely as long as the door is cracked open and window is open.

I was wondering if anyone had a fan solution to add up top? I was worried about buring the bearings out of a fan motor will all the moisture.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[NHarcher]

1597515975

[tcross]

i use a box fan in my sugar house. In the past 5 years I have been through two. burnt one out the first year because when I tried to start it, it was frozen. since then, I've taken it inside to dry out each night and have had the same fan going for the past 4 years. my steam hood vents out the side of my sugar house.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

Do you have a door or window open? My garage is by no mean airtight but if I close the garage door the building fills with steam even though I have a roof vent. You need an ample source of fresh air to get a good draft that will draw the steam upward.

[BAP]

2nd having plenty of fresh air for draft. The colder the air coming in, the more steam cloud generated as the cold air hits the warm moist air.

[5 Oaks]

I had an issue with venting in the past with a 2x3 flat pan. When i upgraded to a 2x4 pan with flues I knew i had to do something. Below is a link to show you what I have. The set up I have now is a "real" arch and no longer a cement block fire box. So far the fan does not pull enough air to suck air down the chimney, but i do have have a window cracked. A few weeks ago I decided to hook the fan to a timer to help suck the steam out of the shack, after I went to bed. But to my shock I found my shack filled with smoke when I happen to come back out later. Once the draft of the arch was low enough, the vent fan was sucking the smoke out of the box and into the shack. Needless to say, the fan only runs when the box is rocking. The fan works great. My shack is a old 1 stall garage that is 12x16.

https://www.zoro.com/dayton-ventilator-power-attic-115-v-1500-cfm-10n202/i/G4262675/?gclid=CK2_18mdzNICFZUkgQodAO4L_Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

[West Sumner Sugar]

We have a 600CFM Fantech inline fan in our steam stack. I don't know what they build these things out of but they are tough! Its been in there for 4 years now, gallons of water go through it every weekend, freezes solid when its cold, fills with pine needles and leaves but that thing will move some steam!

[Sugarmaker]

Consider hoods??
Regards,
Chris

[Daveg]

Do you have a door or window open? My garage is by no mean airtight but if I close the garage door the building fills with steam even though I have a roof vent. You need an ample source of fresh air to get a good draft that will draw the steam upward.

The "chimney effect."

[backyard sugaring]

I found an old fan they use in restaurants in the junk yard for 10.00. It has been working for 6 years now. If you have one around you. Good luck. Lee