Nukit Tempest Pro Assembly
How to assemble your Nukit Tempest Pro
The kit contains everything you need to build a Tempest Pro air purifier, except a Phillips-head screwdriver, two 20x25x1 MERV 13 filters, and, if you wish to wall-mount your Tempest Pro, an appropriate drill and bit. The use of the included parts is not mandatory, as they are all based on standards that make substitutions and repairs easy, but we suggest that, at least initially, you build with only the parts the kit comes with.
Nukit Tempest Pro is a safe and appropriate classroom STEM or Make-Ed project for all ages. It teaches many of the same basic skills required to assemble a custom PC, as well as good cable management for more complex electronic projects.
These instructions are very detailed, but if you follow them, putting the Tempest Pro together is really quite easy. We suggest reading through the complete instructions once before you assemble anything.
If you encounter difficulty with the Tempest Pro air purifier kit, any local business that builds custom PCs will be able to assemble it for you.
You will need:
- One Phillips-head screwdriver
- Two 20x25x1 MERV 13 HVAC filters.
Let's get started!
Carefully open the box with a short blade to avoid scratching the contents.
Remove the parts bag. All screws are standard, PC chassis component screws and replacements can be easily purchased at your local computer store if needed.
Remove the cardboard tube containing the side grills.
Remove the metal panels.
Gently remove the fans. Until they are mounted and protected with grills, the blades and rotors are fragile and will break if dropped on a hard surface.
Lay out all the parts on a large, flat work area so you can easily find them.
Note: Avoid the urge to just start putting it all together. It is much easier if you attach and wire the fans before you screw the panels together.
Note: If you have an early model Tempest Pro kit, it may include the below PWM hub/splitter. This is not used with the default build and included fans. It was only provided to accommodate the possible use of third-party, non-daisy-chainable fans. Please set it aside and do not use it with the included fans.
Find the bottom panel. It has six small holes in its center. These are for an optional Mean Well power supply and accessory boards.
Attach the four square, self-adhesive feet to the four corners of the bottom plate.
Find the 3 mm rubber hole plugs.
Seal each hole by inserting the stem of the rubber plug into each small hole and pulling it through.
Ensure the rubber plug's flat end is on the same side as the rubber feet.
Find the back panel. It has a square and 19 mm round hole at the bottom. The top of this plate is marked “UP”.
Insert the 19 mm rubber plug into the round hole.
Find the panel-mount IEC-style 5.5 mm barrel jack, female-to-male, 12V DC power connector.
Feed the power wire and 5.5 mm barrel plug through the square hole.
Firmly press the panel-mount IEC-style connector into the square hole until it snaps in place. (This may require adult assistance)
Find the front panel. The top of this plate is also marked “UP” and also has three large holes for 140 mm fans.
Find the self-tapping PC fan screws.
Find the fan grills. While the fans are not powerful enough to cause serious injury, a small object dropped into the enclosure could break one of the blades.
The Nukit Tempest Pro comes with six fans that will need to be “daisy-chained” with their two 4-pin connectors
The fixed part of the fan faces the panel, and the moving part of the fan faces toward the inside of the box to pull air through the side filters, and push it out of the enclosure. If you are unsure, connect a fan to the PWM speed controller and DC power supply and test it.
The PC fan screws pass through the fan guard and the enclosure panel, then into the plastic of the fan. Using a Phillips-head screwdriver, make sure the screws are inserted straight, or they will damage the fan. Do not over-tighten, or you will strip the hole.
Connect each fan to its neighbor.
This is how the fans on each panel should look daisy-chained together. It is very important they be wired in exactly this way or the cables will not reach. Please scroll back to this image as often as needed to make sure the wiring is correct.
Attach the fans and grills to the back panel, the same way you did the front panel, daisy-chaining the cables. Refer to the above wiring chart again to confirm.
Attach the 4-pin connectors that are at the bottoms of the front and back panels. That wire will need to run across the bottom of the enclosure.
Find your 12V DC power supply, you'll need it soon
Find the bundle of black nylon cable ties
Find the wire loops and self-tapping PC fan screws. These will go into the back of the fans, to hold the wires away from the spinning fan blades and keep them from moving around.
Secure the wires to the fans loosely, as shown below, using the supplied wire loop and cable ties. Allow a finger's breadth worth of slack so that no wire is so snug it presses against a spinning fan blade, nor so loose it flops around and can fall into one.
The wires need to run across the top of the fans to keep the sides clear for the filters.
When final adjustments have been made, snug up your zip ties and clip off the excess.
Find the #6-32 enclosure screws. Use those to attach the front, and back panel, to the bottom panel. Remember the side labeled "Up" faces away from the bottom panel.
Remove the two rubber hole plugs you inserted before from the bottom, set them aside, and save them in case you configure your Tempest Pro differently in the future.
Look for the two black push-mount nylon cable ties.
Insert through the two open mounting holes, until they click in place.
Bundle any loose cables on the opposite side but wait to tighten until you have completed the next step and installed the PWM speed controller. When satisfied, tighten up the zip-ties, and clip off excess. Do not bend any wires at a sharp angle, just a loose radius as shown.
Next is the PWM speed controller. It connects the panel-mount IEC-style 5.5 mm barrel input plug now inside the enclosure to the 4-pin fan cables.
Make sure all fans can move freely and are not rubbing against any wires, then attach your 12V DC power supply to the PWM speed controller, and the PWM controller to the 4-pin connector leading to the six daisy-chained fans. Ensure all fans spin up smoothly.
Because this step involves plugging the DC power supply into mains AC power, this is the only part of the Nukit Tempest assembly that requires adult supervision for small children.
If you need to troubleshoot, connect each fan individually to the PWM speed controller, then add on the next in the "chain".
When you have confirmed all six fans are working, and spinning in the correct direction, proceed to the next step of mounting the PWM speed controller
There are three mounting options for the PWM speed controller. Please read ahead and decide which one you prefer before making a choice.
The best option is to attach the soft, self-adhesive magnet to the back of the PWM speed controller. The magnet will hold the controller securely to the inside of the steel enclosure, preventing tampering while the filter is in use. It will also prevent changing the speed from the outside. We discuss why this is optimal in the FAQ.
The second option is to put the included double adhesive tape against the face of the PWM speed controller, pass the knob through the 19 mm accessory hole, and press the tape against the inside of the enclosure. This allows discreet control of the speed from the outside of the enclosure, but you cannot see the illuminated numbers and cannot remove the speed controller to place it elsewhere later, as the tape is too strong.
The third option is to use the magnetic tape as in option one, but place the controller outside the enclosure, with the 12V DC 5.5 mm barrel input plug going directly into it, and the 4-pin fan cable going through the 19 mm accessory hole into the enclosure, held in place with the rubber plug.
This is the least visually appealing, but it is good for precisely setting the preferred speed and sound level of the Tempest Pro before moving the PWM controller inside the enclosure, as shown in option one.
For the next step, take one of your 20x25x1 filters. Check the arrows on the edge to ensure it is oriented correctly. Install with the airflow arrows pointing toward the inside of the Tempest Pro.
Remove the included optional mesh side panels from their protective tube. Place the mesh side panels flat against your 20x25x1 filters. If the mesh side panels have been in storage a very long time, you can leave them overnight with weight on top to flatten them out (but not on top of the filter or you will crush the cardboard), or go over them with a warm hair dryer.
Carefully slide each filter into the enclosure, between the fans and the metal lip, holding the mesh side panel in place as you pull it down. The fit is snug to limit air leakage. Ensure wires are routed across the top of fans so sides are clear for filters. Don't force it, pull the filter out and check loose wires or other obstructions- it will slide in smoothly.
Locate the two M5x8 screws and use them to secure the aluminum handle to the top panel with a Phillips-head screwdriver.
Find four #6-32 thumbscrews and secure the top panel, ensuring the black mesh is on the inside. Slide, don't press into place for best results
You now have a complete Tempest Pro setup as a freestanding unit. Continue reading to see how to wall or ceiling mount.
Find the wall & ceiling mounting plate, screws, and anchors.
Find a suitable place on the wall or ceiling. Using a level and a pencil, mark the position of the elongated holes. If you need assistance, any handyman who can mount a flat screen TV can take care of it.
If you are mounting the Tempest Pro high on a wall, remember to leave 26 inches of clearance above it so you can slide the filters up and out. Alternatively, you can mount the Tempest Pro upside-down, with the handle on the bottom, so filters can be changed from below.
Once mounted, it should look like this:
Remove the grill for the middle fan, and find the side plates for the wall & ceiling mount.
Reattach the fan grill, with the side plate for the wall & ceiling mount below it.
It should look like this.
Then attach the side plates to the wall & ceiling mount with #6-32 thumbscrews. It should look like this:
You’re ready to go!
Maintenance:
Typically, filters need to be replaced once a year or so. Check every three months. When you change the filters, it's a good time to wash the mesh side panels with warm water and dish soap. The metal enclosure can be cleaned with a damp cloth.