---- Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> different mechanism in the van. default is valve closed/gas off. TC
> keeps it open, barely
>
>
> home furnaces and water heaters are not an apt example in this case.

If the flame is burning, the thermocouple is hot, and keeps the valve open.  if the flame goes out, thermocouple cools, valve closes.  Identical operation in hot water heater standing pilot, furnace standing pilot, and Dometic refrigerator burner.

David McNeely