Automated Natural Gas BIAB

[Fencdar]

I'm trying to figure out what all I need to get together in order to automate control of mash temperatures and kick a pump on/off. I'd like to someday go all-electric, but my current apartment was built approx. 300AD, and has 15A circuits.

My requirements:
1. Heat: Tokyo Gas (Natural Gas)
2. Method: BIAB
3. Control: Raspberry Pi (I've got an extra kicking around)

Questions:
1. I'm going to source a burner locally, but I'm hoping to get a 12V or 24V valve off of Aliexpress.com. However, they do not have Honeywell Valves, so I'm kind of lost as to what I should be looking for. Would something like this work instead?

2. What software should I use? I've been looking into Elsinore, BrewNPi, and RaspiBrew, but they're all made for electric breweries. Any suggestions?

3. Pilot light or electric ignition?

I'm sure I'll come up with other questions as I go along. Thanks for the help!

 

[Fencdar]

Ok still working on this project. I've purchased the first few parts:

1. the burner: My plan is to attach servomotors to one or both of the valves, ala Tob77's BrewNPi.

2. the servo: I will also be attaching this solenoid as a quick on/off switch. I may attempt a thermopile later, as well. Tokyo Gas is apparently 1.0-2.5kpa, meaning it always runs under 0.35psi / 0.025bar, so this should be quite sufficient.

3. the pump: For the mash recirculation, I want to try using this pump, although it is plastic. Fortunately both the solenoid and the motor run off of 12 or 24v DC.

Next steps:
1. Start figuring out how I will need to modify BrewNPi, as that is going to be the software basis for this project, but will likely need alterations based on our different setups.
2. Get the necessary tubes, wires, and connectors
3. Drill and attach the outlet on my brew pot
4. Prepare a way to gently return the wort from the pump
5. Get thermocouple, attempt to hook up to Raspi
6. Look into thermopile as safety control for system
7. Make heat shields for servos and beneath burner
8. Install electronics, solenoid, and pump into project box
9. Attach servos to burner
10. test, test, test

 

[Fencdar]

Okay, so after reading more about how Tob77 is doing what he's doing... I don't understand it. I'm a complete beginner with electronics in general and raspberry pi in particular, so I'll take the easy route to start. Servo is on the way, but oh well.

I'm angling more towards Raspibrew now, and have come up with a MS-Paint level idea of how it's all going to work together, based on the Raspibrew website and the Electric Brewery.

Enjoy:

Now, I need to make sure that I know what plugs in where on the RPi, and what all boards I need/want. Obviously, based on the raspibrew info, I'll need Jeelab's thermo plug and their output plug, and so I have purchased both. I also purchased a pi cobbler breakout and prototyping kit from adafruit, to cover my bases.

Time to read, read, read!