Automated operation check for standing valve

A gas powered appliance comprising:

• a pilot burner gas valve;
• a main-burner gas valve;
• a thermoelectrically powered valve control circuit, wherein the control circuit comprises a storage device having executable instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed, provide for:
• verifying that the pilot valve is opened;
• signaling the pilot valve to close after a first period of time has elapsed;
• signaling the pilot valve to re-open after a second period of time has elapsed;
• detecting the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event associated with at least one of the pilot valve closing and the pilot valve re-opening.

A valve system for use in a gas powered appliance, the system comprising:

• a thermoelectric power supply;
• a programmable controller coupled with the thermoelectric power supply;
• a current source supplying a valve picking current, the current source being coupled with the controller;
• a current sensing device coupled with the power supply and the controller;
• a valve control switch coupled with the controller and the current sensing device;
• and
• a valve coupled with the valve control switch, wherein the controller, in operation:
• determines that the valve is open;
• signals the valve control switch to effect closing the valve after a first period of time;
• signals the valve control switch and the current source to effect re-opening the valve after a second period of time;
• and
• determines whether the valve re-opened by sensing a voltage potential change across the current sensing device, wherein the voltage potential change is a result of an inductive current peak in the valve.