Patent ID: 9574793
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: F23N,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 power system to provide electrical power to the control system, wherein the power system comprises: 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 to provide gas to a main burner, wherein the valve control system is further configured to selectively hold a pilot gas valve in an open position to permit gas to flow through the pilot gas valve to the pilot burner, wherein the first voltage output is coupled to the valve control system, and wherein the valve control system is configured to selectively use the first voltage output to hold the main gas valve in the open position; a valve pick system configured to be coupled to the main gas valve in parallel with the valve control system and to selectively pick the main gas valve from a closed position to the open position; a safety system configured to prevent the valve control system from holding the main gas valve in the open position, wherein the safety system includes a safety switch connected between an output terminal of the thermoelectric generator and ground and is configured to prevent the thermoelectric generator from providing the first voltage output to the valve control system without interrupting a connection between the thermoelectric generator and the valve control system by coupling the output terminal of the thermoelectric generator to ground through the safety switch causing the thermoelectric generator to provide a third voltage output less than the first voltage output, wherein the safety system is configured to cause the thermoelectric generator to provide the third voltage output by coupling the output terminal of the thermoelectric generator either directly to around through the safety switch or to ground through the safety switch and a resistance; and a controller electrically powered by the power system and communicatively coupled to the valve control system, the valve pick system, and the safety system, the controller configured to control operation of the main burner and the main gas valve using the valve control system, the valve pick system, and the safety system to provide water heated to a setpoint temperature, wherein the controller receives and is electrically powered by the second voltage output from the self-oscillating power converter, the controller is configured to couple the received second voltage output to the valve pick system to provide a pick voltage, and wherein the valve pick system is configured to selectively use the pick voltage to pick the main gas valve from a closed position that prevents gas from flowing to the main burner to the open position.