curlyfat wrote:My question, Guitarlord, are you just firing directly under the mash-tun and recirculating to keep from scorching?
Yes.
I worry about that being enough movement to avoid scorching the grain in my case, since my false bottom is not the full diameter of the pot.
You'll really want a full diameter false bottom, to keep your grain away from the bottom of the pot. As long as the grain in your mash isn't coming into direct contact with the bottom of your tun, the recirculation will be enough to keep everything from scorching. Like I said before, there's several guys in my brew club who are using these types of systems, and none of them have any problems with scorched mash.
Also, how does the wort re-enter the mash-tun?
I'll have it coming in through a tube that will be submerged in the mash. Take a look at BIGALE's last picture.
http://www.deadyeast.com/phpBB2/viewtop ... c&start=30
This won't be exactly what I'm doing, but it'll give you the general idea. I'll have my tube adjustable to sit on the top of the mash, for the most efficient recirculation.

EDIT: Check out this video, at 1 min 50 seconds, this guy pulls out what I'll be using as an 'adjustable tube' for wort re-entry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJaojHQyWh4

Would you want to it to be "sprinkled" on like when sparging? Or just pouring in from a tube?
This is still the hot side of brewing, so you don't want your wort to get too aerated. FWIW, I also don't sprinkle my sparge water for this reason. I don't know if it makes a difference, though. Just being careful.
I'll probably start simple and manually monitor everything, turn my burner on and off the old-fashioned way, and turn the pump on manually as well. I think I'll just use an in-line thermometer to monitor the output temp. I'm thinking this way, I only need to add a pump and some tubing and a thermo.
That sounds like a good way to go. The pump doesn't really need to be automated anyway, as it should remain on the entire time you're mashing. I'd recommend getting at least a really good digital thermometer to put in line to monitor your mash temp. Your way won't be 'set and forget' but it should keep your mash temps very regular, and should make step mashing not only possible but easy. Once you have that all set up, automation is just a few steps away.

Well then quit putting the wort through that thing full tilt!

Seriously, if you slow it down a hair, you might not have to go the recirculation route.