Hood style question for 2X6

[OneLegJohn]

I am placing an order for a stainless hood. I have a 2X6 with 4' Flue pan. I wasn't sure if it would be best to have a one-piece 6' hood with a couple doors OR an airtight 4' hood on the flue pan and have a small hood raised above the syrup pan. I'm leaning toward the latter...but how do I do it? A little gap for the syrup pan steam to escape up the steam stack in the flue hood? How big of a distance do I raise the flue pan hood? The key is to have the top of both hood sections even along the top.

Not looking to install a preheater because extra 5gph not a big benefit for the effort and $.

Suggestions welcome.

[smitty76]

I have a 2pc hood setup on my 2x6. they are not connected until the steam pipes t together in the rafters. the steam pipe then goes into a squirrel cage type blower then out the gable end of sugar house. the blower puts a ever so slite bit of vaccum on the surface of the boiling sap which makes it steam better and when I open the hood doors I do not get a face full on steam. Also have condensate traps to prevent runback.

The whole system works well and did not cost that much.

Good luck with yours

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have a enclosed hood over the fluepan with 4 doors and a 1/2 section over the syrup pan. I still like to watch the syrup boil and bubble. On my 3x10 I have a 14" stack so The steam creats quite a draw enough to pull the steam from the open end of the fluepan and syrup pan cover. I only have one stack in the middle of the 3x7 fluehood and I can open all 4 10" doors and not get blowback. I hinged the syrup pan cover so I can prop it up for cleaning. I also have fold down sides when it gets to windy.