Gas valve with electronic cycle counter

A fuel valve assembly for controlling fuel flow to a combustion appliance, the fuel valve assembly comprising:

• a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port;
• a fuel valve member situated in the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port;
• a fuel valve actuator for selectively moving the fuel valve member between a closed position, which closes the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and an open position;
• the fuel valve actuator actuating the fuel valve member from the closed position to the open position and then back to the closed position during each of a plurality of operational cycles during a lifetime of the fuel valve assembly;
• an electronic controller secured relative to the valve body, the electronic controller having a non-volatile memory;
• and
• wherein the electronic controller maintains in the non-volatile memory a measure that is related to a total number of operational cycles experienced by the fuel valve member during the lifetime of the fuel valve assembly.