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Yep. I got pretty well versed in the Chinese restaurant business. The amount of custom made crap that I ran into and fixed was astounding. Walk ins, refrigerated buffet tables, even custom made 10 ton ahu's. Several restaurants with different owners, but the same group out of NYC would send the equipment package and a van load of "nationals" would be getting busy. Asked me if I would get permit for the jobs. NO EFFIN WAY!
Even saw them try to use round pipe for grease duct once. I finally had enough and just quit responding to service call requests. I had to send a certified letter to one owner to get him to quit calling.

Haha, you know the story to the T. The equipment came from New York, but the Install guys were outta south Chicago.

This looks like the typical Chinese restaurant model: They get their (Chinese) guys from NY to come in and whack together some crap and leave town. All the hood equipment is "custom fabricated". No paper trail and owners are reluctant to say too much. You would think, that with enough practice they would eventually get better at it.

Originally Posted by welling service

I have not ever heard of the system being turned on by temp sensor.

507.2.1.1 Operation. Type I hood systems shall be designed and installed to automatically activate the exhaust fan whenever cooking operations occur. The activation of the exhaust fan shall occur through an inter- lock with the cooking appliances, by means of heat sensors or by means of other approved methods.

per imc 2009

I have not ever heard of the system being turned on by temp sensor. The MUAU must be interlocked electrically with the exhaust fan and must shut down when an alarm is triggered. The exhaust should remain on. We recently replaced an exhaust fan on a Chinese Restaurant. They had a grease fire which burned the blower wheel completely off. There was just a few pieces of melted aluminum left. These Chinese people will not leave the makeup air unit on. The double swinging doors between the kitchen and dining room are kept about half way open by the negative air pressure in the kitchen. They turn the breaker off to it. The fire suppression system did not go off according to the firemen.

Originally Posted by welling service

The International Mechanical code does require makeup air either gravity or powered. Can you imagine a 10,000 cfm exhaust system without a powered MUAU. The gravity MUAU for this system would be really large. The code says that the makeup air should be equal to the total exhaust in the building.

True, however the requirement of the make-up air to be "tempered" in this climate, I don't think anyone in their right mind would stick a million BTU heater on a gravity duct. The only gravity MUA's I've designed were for seasonal use.


Heres the list of wrongs I came up with. Some you can't tell by the pictures.

• grease duct has to be continuously welded, not jb welded
• grease duct has to run to the top of the fan curb and be welded to the curb itself.
• grease duct needs double layer of fire wrap
• zero clearance. the hood has to be 18" from combustibles. the back wall is combustible.
• the hood is not listed, it looks like it was fabbed in someones garage. the hood cannot be used.
• the exhaust fans are sized right for this type of hood, however they need to be on hinges for cleaning and need to have a grease trap.
• back splash, its not seamless, or put together with splice pieces, i don't think the health department would accept this as a cleanable surface.
• back-splash doesn't go 18" past each end of the hood and 18" above the hood for 0 clearance.
• exhausters aren't 10' from property line
• gas fired make-up air.... where
• exhaust fans need to turn on automatically by temperature.
• there are ledges where grease can build-up where the exhaust duct meets the hood.

The International Mechanical code does require makeup air either gravity or powered. Can you imagine a 10,000 cfm exhaust system without a powered MUAU. The gravity MUAU for this system would be really large. The code says that the makeup air should be equal to the total exhaust in the building.

Originally Posted by Miller257

That would be the "makeup air" there is no unit, just a piece of duct 14x14" duct. based on the size of the hood, you need 10,000 CFM of tempered exhaust/MUA for this hood. I think the duct is a little small, that "Grill" is the cherry on top, probably 90% restrictive. Oh did I mention there is no make up air unit, just a piece of ductwork that goes outside. I'm not sure the code is specific enough to note that there actually has to be a fan in the "Makeup air".

thanks, that cleared it up. At first I thought it was a piece of leftover ductwork laying on the roof.

Originally Posted by Mike19

That piece of ductwork with the fancy metal ends, is that some kind of intake for a unit inside the building? If so, probably want it a little higher off the ground, maybe a little hood over the top of it would help.

That would be the "makeup air" there is no unit, just a piece of duct 14x14" duct. based on the size of the hood, you need 10,000 CFM of tempered exhaust/MUA for this hood. I think the duct is a little small, that "Grill" is the cherry on top, probably 90% restrictive. Oh did I mention there is no make up air unit, just a piece of ductwork that goes outside. I'm not sure the code is specific enough to note that there actually has to be a fan in the "Makeup air".

Originally Posted by larobj63

I'll give you a few, based on NYS codes..

• servicable equip needs to be 10' from roof edge or provide railing
• MUA inlet needs to be 10' from exhaust or vent
• continuos welded water tight grease duct - not quite water tight!!
• grease duct needs to be ss or black iron, not sure what it is from pics
• fire wrap? who needs fire wrap?

Probably a dozen more, just off the top of my head...

• Here in wisconsin, it needs to be 10' from the lot line, it's about a foot, exhaust fans have to move.
• Maybe they were banking on the 3' below rule, i bet thats why it's so close to the roof.
• you mean JB Weld isn't the same as welding???
• It is black iron, and appeared to be the correct gauge, well except for the piece of slip they used to connect it to the hood on one side!
• It's to expensive anyways.

Originally Posted by Miller257

I wonder why, the shame is these people gave this idiot money. The entire system has to come out. we can reuse the fans at least. CAn you guys pick out all the code violations?

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Is that some kind of gift wrapping paper on the MAU. LMAO

Racked out of Sq. in pic 4 is enough.. Really SAD..

That piece of ductwork with the fancy metal ends, is that some kind of intake for a unit inside the building? If so, probably want it a little higher off the ground, maybe a little hood over the top of it would help.

I'll give you a few, based on NYS codes..

• servicable equip needs to be 10' from roof edge or provide railing
• MUA inlet needs to be 10' from exhaust or vent
• continuos welded water tight grease duct - not quite water tight!!
• grease duct needs to be ss or black iron, not sure what it is from pics
• fire wrap? who needs fire wrap?

Proabably a dozen more, just off the top of my head...

Inspector wouldn't pass this.

I wonder why, the shame is these people gave this idiot money. The entire system has to come out. we can reuse the fans at least. CAn you guys pick out all the code violations?

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