Finally got around to playing with the Raspberry Pi

[therecklessengineer]

Of course this section shouldn't be just for whizzy tablet web based projects in PHP using AJAX, Python, or building your own custom OS. Just wiring up a PID controller or having a remote temperature sensor should fall into this category.

[Julian]

Would  ... Controls, instrumentation and automation be more descriptive then?

[Tony]

Would  ... Controls, instrumentation and automation be more descriptive then?

Definitely - doooo it!

[Julian]

That's easy for you to say!

[Bill]

I would agree that automation begins with such basic things as PID controllers.
I hadn't realised the potential for automation until I had first played around with timer delay relays for parts of pumped water washing, etc. It demonstrated that a process with little batch to batch variability (ie an almost boring, repetitive task) was a good target for automation.

[andrzej.b]

Hey guys,

How hard would it be; has any of you tried to use raspberry pi to automatically control switching between WVO and diesel on a 2 tank system?

[Tony]

Welcome to the forum. The pi has some gpio pins, so most definitely possible but you would need some buffer electronics between it and the car, ie relay drive circuit.

[therecklessengineer]

The RPi is way overkill for something like that.

You want a basic microcontroller. Arduino, MSP430, PIC etc etc.

[andrzej.b]

Welcome to the forum. The pi has some gpio pins, so most definitely possible but you would need some buffer electronics between it and the car, ie relay drive circuit.

Thanks. Yup, would definitely use relays. I'm just more of a mechanic/electrician and don't know anything about programing. 

The RPi is way overkill for something like that.

You want a basic microcontroller. Arduino, MSP430, PIC etc etc.

I already have a pi and maybe I would use it for playing movies or music in addition.  What I would like it to do is:

Start the car on diesel
Once the oil warms up, for the pi to switch to the oil
Once I take the key out for the pi to switch back to diesel and to keep the car  until the fuel line flushes
I would also like it to keep the oil warm when the car is off with some electric heaters powered from outlet. Basically I would park it and plug it into an outlet for the night.
I would also like it to keep the oil war even when unplugged from an outlet using the car's battery but to monitor battery voltage so that not to discharge it below a certain level.
Hell, maybe even start the car at a certain preset time to warm it up in winter and cool down in summer.