A portable heater comprising:
- a housing provided with a front opening;
- at least one pilot burner;
- at least one main burner unit provided within the housing and comprising a front portion facing the front opening of the housing, said at least one main burner unit being supported by at least a portion of the housing;
- a gas pressure regulation system connectable to a portable supply of gas;
- a first means adapted to form a first flow of an air/gas mixture, feed the at least one pilot burner with said first flow of the air/gas mixture and allow said first flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one pilot burner;
- a second means adapted to form a second flow of an air/gas mixture, feed the at least one main burner with said second flow of the air/gas mixture and allow said first flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one main burner;
- a gas valve assembly mounted to the housing and comprising a gas valve adapted to selectively:
- prevent the first flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one pilot burner and prevent the second flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one main burner;
- allow the first flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one pilot burner and prevent the second flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one main burner;
- or
- allow the first flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from the at least one pilot burner and allow the second flow of the air/gas mixture to exit from at least one main burner,
- said gas valve assembly cooperating with at least one knob movable along and around an axis for selectively operating the gas valve, controlling the flow of the second flow of the air/gas mixture, and operating a means to ignite the gas/air mixture exiting from the at least one pilot burner;
- a gas piping connecting the gas pressure regulation system to the gas valve,
- a gas piping connecting the gas valve to the first means adapted to form the first flow of an air/gas mixture, and
- a gas piping connecting the gas valve to the second means adapted to for the second flow of an air/gas mixture,
- the gas valve being a thermostatic valve, said thermostatic valve being provided with means cooperating with a temperature sensor and adapted to open and close the gas valve for the control of the flow of the second flow of the air/gas mixture exiting from the at least one main burner.