An apparatus for and method of monitoring the operation of a stepper motor used to control the main burner valve of a gas appliance by positioning a linear actuator. The gas appliance has a pilot burner. A thermopile thermally coupled to said pilot burner produces an electrical output which powers the stepper motor and a control microprocessor. The control microprocessor monitors the waveforms of potential induced by rotational motion into the unenergized stator coils of the stepper motor. By analyzing the waveforms, the microprocessor can monitor the start time, stop time, direction of the rotational motion, and maximum length of travel of the linear actuator.