By "professional opinions" did you mean legal advice or advice from other dealers? Houzz' listing of forums doesn't appear to include a legal forum, perhaps beacause lawyers usually charge for legal services. I would be surprised if dealers wanted to risk their own future disputes by establishing a precedent here by commenting. But let me not stand in anyone's way; I am sure I would find the answers instructive.

More importantly for adequate ventilation, a ventilation hood is not just a decorative object if the kitchen is intended to be used. To achieve its function, it has to move a certain amount of air per unit time depending on its size and the cooking effluent temperature being vented (with or without gas burner effluent). Usually, hood size has to be chosen based on various parameters, and the entire ventilation system requires a source of make-up air for yet other reasons.

If you provided more information about the hood, we might be able to suggest what air flow is needed and the duct size that is desirable for that air flow. It is possible that a duct revision is called for, rather than a motor revision.

I personally prefer when dealing with someone who is a specialist in subject "X" and is providing a service in subject "Y" to double check everything -- in this case the installation instructions for the relevant hood parts. Further, I think it is useful, when feasible, to double check even when the specialist in subject "X" is providing a service in subject "X."

kas

Return the motor (and maybe hood) and select a different one that is compatible with your ducting. You could also put in a reducer but if you have 6" ducting in your home with a 100,000 BTU gas range and you plan to use a grill or wok you probably need to improve the ducting.

What else are you looking for from the dealer? I don't think your situation warrants any compensation from the dealer other than a fast response to provide an alternate motor/hood. If you don't have confidence in the dealer and want to move on to someone else after you return it that's an option too.

The hood is fine, the only problem is the motor size is too great for the existing ductwork. It's a simple fix, just costly - in time and $$. The hood housing is fine, but the integral (welded in) motor needs to be switched out for a smaller motor.

However, it's not a "stock" item from the manufacturer, so it's sort of custom. It took us 8 weeks to get this one and now, it looks like, we have to wait again. Plus, we'll have to ship it back to the manufacturer!

Welded in motor?!!! If true I think the hood manufacturer deserves replacement as well as the hood.

I meant find a different manufacturer.

Anyway, before my snark becomes a serious suggestion, perhaps I need more clarity on what you mean by "welded in." Is the motor winding housing itself welded to the hood structure, or is the motor just somewhat trapped by welded hood structure, or what? To put it another way, do you mean that if the motor fails it cannot be replaced without replacing the hood?

kas

Very confused now. I am not aware of a hood where the insert is welded into place except in a commercial kitchens. Who is the hood insert manufacturer? Could you provide a picture? Maybe this is just an issue with the words being used to describe the items.

Good luck!

It's a VentAHood.

Ventahoods are not welded in place. Someone is either lying to you or did something very wrong. They are mounted with screws. I think we need more information about what you have and what you want to do. What is the current size of the duct work you have? What is the size and power setting of your current hood? What are you trying to get to?

Probably it is external blower in op's case. All vah's magic lung internal blowers are 300 cfm and screw mounted.

I have a 1200cfm vah blower. They come in multiple configurations. Mine is a dual blower.

"All vah's magic lung internal blowers are 300 cfm"

This must be a typo or a misunderstanding. VAH has a broad line of hoods with a range of cfms up to 1200.

To the OP - while it is not recommended, many many people install hoods to ductwork that is too small. The consequence of that is a loud exhaust thru no fault of the hood, and the exhaust is less powerful than it should be as the air is pulled through too small a space. In any case you sure wouldn't be the first home whose ductwork is too small, nor the last. If you cannot enlarge your ductwork, you can still just keep the motor you have, and run it on the low setting most of the time.

VAH's 1200 magic lung = 4 x 300 cfm blowers