Stove Vent Hood

[dmullen]

Our Bullet 246RBS has a vent hood above the stove that doesn't vent to the outside of the camper. The stove area is on the slide-out. There is a Fantastic Vent in the ceiling almost right above your head if you were standing at the stove top cooking something. I'm wondering if there would be any negatives to removing the large vent hood since I would run the Fantastic Vent if I was ever using the stove anyway. It would clear up a lot of room in that area and both the light and the fan in it are pretty much useless. We never cook anything "messy" inside and definitely don't fry anything on the stove top.

Just curious if anyone here has done any type of mod on theirs.

This is not my camper, but has the exact same layout.

[maltese3]

Regarding stove vent hood try this website, www.fabulousoperatingproducts.com. Wonderful upgrade to the noisy non working vent that comes with the camper. We love ours and easy to install

[dmullen]

Thanks for the great information, advice, and suggestions. As always I really appreciate it.

[GrandpaKip]

goducks10 wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:

dmullen wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Ventless range hoods are mostly worthless. I would remove it or replace it with a functional one that vents outside.

I'd rather not have to cut a vent in the camper. I don't really think I need to with the Fantastic Vent right there.

My fantastic fan is at least 8' from the stove and is more quiet and efficient than that piece of junk over my stove. I'll probably remove it at some point in the future. (The stove vent, I mean).

How can it be more efficient at removing smoke, steam or greasy air when the vent is 8' away up in the ceiling? The fantastic fan draws air from somewhere, an open window or just leaks in the TT in general. So you're dragging that smoke, steam and greasy air 8' away and sending it on the roof.

A stove vent will also draw air from somewhere but it's being pushed out the vent before it goes across the TT to the ceiling.

In 3 years, I have not noticed the roof looking any different around the Fantastic fan, or the ceiling. I periodically wash the roof and wipe down the ceiling. Just did both the other day. I do have to clean the fan often, but usually a wet rag does it. But we don't cook a lot inside, especially frying.
Our hood is about 8 years old and is noisy and grossly inefficient. I may look for a better quality one in the future.

[Major_Dad]

rockhillmanor wrote:
X2

If you remove it and use the roof vent fan the ceiling around that fan will be covered with dirt from the steam and grease from cooking etc. because it will suck all of it right up to your ceiling.

You can say you don't cook messy things. Well just boiling water or cooking vegetables, frying an egg, etc will be sucked up all over your ceiling. What doesn't get sucked up by the fan will end up all over your furniture. Over time you WILL see the results inside you RV of removing it.

That range hood may look worthless but there is a screen/filter in the hood to 'prevent' all that stuff from covering your walls and ceilings.
I wouldn't do it. just saying.

I have a range vent hood that doesn't vent outside, and a ceiling exhaust fan above it. I was skeptical at first, but the washable filters draw in the smoke and steam and expel the hot air; the ceiling vent above it then expels the heat from cooking. I grudgingly have to admit that this works.

One benefit to this setup is that there are no annoying vent flappers on the side of the trailer to remember to clip shut and that break off anyway with time and use. They also flap in the middle of the night when it gets windy...I HATED that!

[goducks10]

GrandpaKip wrote:

dmullen wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Ventless range hoods are mostly worthless. I would remove it or replace it with a functional one that vents outside.

I'd rather not have to cut a vent in the camper. I don't really think I need to with the Fantastic Vent right there.

My fantastic fan is at least 8' from the stove and is more quiet and efficient than that piece of junk over my stove. I'll probably remove it at some point in the future. (The stove vent, I mean).

How can it be more efficient at removing smoke, steam or greasy air when the vent is 8' away up in the ceiling? The fantastic fan draws air from somewhere, an open window or just leaks in the TT in general. So you're dragging that smoke, steam and greasy air 8' away and sending it on the roof.

A stove vent will also draw air from somewhere but it's being pushed out the vent before it goes across the TT to the ceiling.

[rockhillmanor]

X2

If you remove it and use the roof vent fan the ceiling around that fan will be covered with dirt from the steam and grease from cooking etc. because it will suck all of it right up to your ceiling.

You can say you don't cook messy things. Well just boiling water or cooking vegetables, frying an egg, etc will be sucked up all over your ceiling. What doesn't get sucked up by the fan will end up all over your furniture. Over time you WILL see the results inside you RV of removing it.

That range hood may look worthless but there is a screen/filter in the hood to 'prevent' all that stuff from covering your walls and ceilings.
I wouldn't do it. just saying.

[Community Alumni]

The recirculating hoods aren't completely useless. While they do very little on removing heat and smells, they do a decent job of capturing grease particles and other vapors out of the air. The only drawback I can see to removing it is that you'll probably have to clean the stove and counter/wall surfaces more often. Since the hood is nice and close to the cooking surface, it can easily suck up bits of grease and vapor before it gets a chance to deposit on surfaces. While the Fantastic fan has quite a few more CFM than the hood, it's pretty far away. But since you say you don't cook anything messy, you probably could just remove the whole thing.

[westend]

dmullen wrote:

westend wrote:
It's not that difficult to install the duct and vent cover to vent the fan to the outside. If you're squeamish about cutting a hole in the exterior and would like to remove it, I'd suggest to replace it with a piece of aluminum panel.

Most larger metro areas have a metal supplier where you can buy metal panel like this and it is inexpensive. I buy PVC coated aluminum panel off-cuts by the lb. at this place: Discount Steel ($2.50/lb.).
Good luck with the hood.

If I do that wouldn't I have to buy a new vent hood that is designed to vent to the outside of the camper since this one is not?

Most of them I see are optional vent to the outside. Sometimes, an additional duct piece is needed. I'm sure some are circulating vent only. I don't know about your particular hood.

If you're just due for a change and the other overhead works for you, removal should take a short amount of time. Maybe you could repurpose the wiring into another light fixture. Always nice to have some task lighting above the stove.

[GrandpaKip]

dmullen wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Ventless range hoods are mostly worthless. I would remove it or replace it with a functional one that vents outside.

I'd rather not have to cut a vent in the camper. I don't really think I need to with the Fantastic Vent right there.

My fantastic fan is at least 8' from the stove and is more quiet and efficient than that piece of junk over my stove. I'll probably remove it at some point in the future. (The stove vent, I mean).

[seaeagle2]

I was able to modify mine to vent outside I told my wife I'd have to buy a new one and she told me I'm smart enough to make it work. Incidentally trailer life magazine last month had an article on upgrading fans. I had boats for 20 years so the holes that really scare me are the ones BELOW the water line 😉

[dmullen]

westend wrote:
It's not that difficult to install the duct and vent cover to vent the fan to the outside. If you're squeamish about cutting a hole in the exterior and would like to remove it, I'd suggest to replace it with a piece of aluminum panel.

Most larger metro areas have a metal supplier where you can buy metal panel like this and it is inexpensive. I buy PVC coated aluminum panel off-cuts by the lb. at this place: Discount Steel ($2.50/lb.).
Good luck with the hood.

If I do that wouldn't I have to buy a new vent hood that is designed to vent to the outside of the camper since this one is not?

[westend]

It's not that difficult to install the duct and vent cover to vent the fan to the outside. If you're squeamish about cutting a hole in the exterior and would like to remove it, I'd suggest to replace it with a piece of aluminum panel.

Most larger metro areas have a metal supplier where you can buy metal panel like this and it is inexpensive. I buy PVC coated aluminum panel off-cuts by the lb. at this place: Discount Steel ($2.50/lb.).
Good luck with the hood.

[mbopp]

When we were looking for a TT DW nixed any ones where the hoods weren't vented outside.
I replaced the hood's 921 bulb with a bright white LED panel. Next mod is a speed control for the vent fan.

[seaeagle2]

Ours didn't vent outside I converted it to an outside vent. I wouldn't remove it; even if it appears useless part of the function is the metal provides a non flammable surface above the stovetop.