Patent ID: 9599369
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: F24H

Claim:
1. A control system for controlling a gas powered water heater to produce hot water in a storage tank by burning gas at a main burner, the control system comprising: a thermoelectric generator to provide an electrical power output at a first voltage; a valve control system configured to be coupled to a main gas valve and to selectively hold the main gas valve in an open position using the electrical power at the first voltage to provide gas to a main burner; a valve pick system configured to be coupled to the main gas valve and to selectively pick the main gas valve from a closed position to the open position using the electrical power at the first voltage; a power converter coupled to the thermoelectric generator to produce a boosted electrical power at a second voltage greater than the first voltage; a controller coupled to the power converter and electrically powered by the boosted electrical power at the second voltage, the controller communicatively coupled to the valve control system and the valve pick system, the controller configured to control operation of the main burner and the main gas valve using the valve control system and the valve pick system to provide water heated to a setpoint temperature; wherein the valve pick system comprises a valve pick circuit including a pick capacitor and the pick capacitor is charged with the thermoelectric generator's electrical power output at the first voltage; and wherein the valve pick system further comprises a pick charging switch coupled between the pick capacitor and the thermoelectric generator, and wherein the controller is configured to control the pick charging capacitor to selectively charge the pick capacitor with the thermoelectric generator's electrical power output at the first voltage.