A pilot tube assembly for easy repair and/or replacement of a pilot hood is disclosed. In one example, a field configurable burner tube assembly may include a burner tube, a pilot hood, wherein the pilot hood engages the burner tube and can be secured to the burner tube in any of two or more different orientations in the field, a thermo-electric device, and a bracket for carrying the pilot hood and burner tube assembly adjacent to the thermoelectric device.

A safety system for use with a thermoelectric generator is described. The safety system includes a safety switch operatively connected to the thermoelectric generator output. The safety switch has a first state in which the thermoelectric generator can provide a first voltage to a load, and a second state in which the thermoelectric generator cannot output the first voltage to the load and in which the thermoelectric generator can output a second voltage to the load. The second voltage is a non-zero voltage having a magnitude less than the first voltage.

A low cost, pneumatic, thermo-electric apparatus and method capable of controlling both a pilot gas burner and a main heating gas burner for ensuring cessation of fugitive methane emissions from process heating systems upon loss of the pilot flame, without requiring external electricity, are described.