Low-powered system for driving a fuel control mechanism

A method for picking an electrically controlled gas valve, the method comprising:

• applying thermal energy to a thermoelectric device;
• generating a first voltage potential from the thermal energy using the thermoelectric device;
• converting the first voltage potential to a second voltage potential using a converter;
• operating a microcontroller using the second voltage potential;
• using an output signal provided by the microcontroller to control charging of a capacitor with charge generated by the thermoelectric device;
• selectively allowing at least some of the charge on the capacitor to flow as a valve pick current to an electrically controlled gas valve to pick the electrically controlled gas valve from a closed position to an open position, while inhibiting the valve pick current from flowing to the thermoelectric device when picking the electrically controlled gas valve;
• and
• wherein the valve pick current has a magnitude that is one to three times a minimum magnitude of current needed to pick the electrically controlled gas valve from the closed position to the open position.