It was rumored that Vertex was working on an LED light fixture. Now we have photos and information on this yet to be released product that is aptly called the Vertex Illumina LED (Update: name was changed, previous name being the Lumina. See a hands on video of the new Vertex Illumina LED here.). It [...]
It was rumored that Vertex was working on an LED light fixture. Now we have photos and information on this yet to be released product that is aptly called the Vertex Illumina LED (Update: name was changed, previous name being the Lumina. See a hands on video of the new Vertex Illumina LED here.). It looks good, but how will it perform?
The low profile Vertex Lumina LED aquarium light is essentially one large heatsink. The LEDs are placed only in the middle strip, with the remaining anodized aluminum heatsink dominated the Lumina’s size. Note the increased height above the LEDs. We are told by someone close to the design of this light, that this area is actually hollow and creates a channel for even heat disbursement across the entire fixture.
Currently a few prototypes exist and Vertex has not decided on which LEDs they will be using in the final production model. Each Lumina light engine will house 16 LEDs, with 40w of electric consumption. Depending on the size, multiple light engines will be used. The stock color combination of the 16 LEDs are:
- 8 white
- 4 blue
- 4 royal blue
Interestingly, Vertex has opted to go without optics. With the central placement of their LEDs they will need as much spread as they can get. We are told the light illuminates a 24″ front to back aquarium with ease and that Vertex did not want to fall trap to spread and hot spot issues. Are these valid concerns? Potentially, but we’ll have to see.
Another unique aspect of the Vertex Illumina (Lumina) is the PCB (or Printed Circuit Board) wiring. The wiring attached to the PCB / light engine has a unique piercing mechanism that literally pops in and pierces the soft coating of the internal wiring to allowing connectivity to the LED drivers and the onboard controller. The LEDs can just as easily be removed allowing potential upgrades, as well as changes in the color combination–we’re told that Vertex will likely offer unique color combinations including red and green LEDs that owners can swap out to highlight certain corals.
The onboard controller has complete control over each color channel to allow near endless combinations of intensity and color temperature. It is also packed with cloud simulations, lunar cycles, and in the future… wireless connectivity.
Vertex is working on a wireless control add-on that will come in the form of a ‘USB drive’. This will allow your personal computer to wirelessly communicate with the onboard controller, with the provided Vertex Lumina Software, and watch in real time as you adjust the lights intensity and color. Think Bluetooth, but a different protocol.
The Vertex Illumina (Lumina) LED light can operate on 100-240v and will first be marketed in Europe, Asia and Canada. We are told this light may hit European and Asian retailers as soon as 2 months from now. Due to the Patent restrictions in the United States there is a chance that a simplified version will be available directly to the U.S. market, but we suspect more clarification on the LED aquarium arena will be needed. Keep an eye out for more information on this fixture in the very near future.
