Control unit for burner assembly

In a combustion burner having a burner tube and ignition electrode means for creating a primary flame inside said burner tube which primary flame extends longitudinally of said burner tube during ignition of said combustion burner and said burner tube having a circumferentially extending flame grid thereon for accommodating a secondary flame on the outside of said burner tube during self-sustaining combustion in the burner, a control system comprising temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature of said primary flame inside said burner tube created by said ignition electrode means and first control means for terminating operation of said combustion burner during said ignition when said temperature of said primary flame is not sensed and flame monitoring means for monitoring the presence of said secondary flame on the outside of said burner tube and second control means for terminating the operation of said combustion burner when the presence of said secondary flame is not sensed.