# Tempest: Rebuild, Repaint and WC



## DrOctopus (Aug 5, 2009)

*Nzxt Tempest: Rebuild, Repaint and WC*

Ive got a couple weeks until i go back to school and ive recently come about a small sum of money so i figured i may as well attempt to improve my current rig....

So basically my plans are to:
- repaint the interior of tempest
- Paint the exterior a metallic blue
- Redo the front panel
- Replace front fan grill (Im thinking about just using a big-ass sheet of aluminum)
- Holes and such for cable management.
- Sleeve psu =8pincpu, 4x6pin gpu, + mobo 24pin
- Sleeve fans 



I also have plans to water-cool my e8500, however, i am a complete newbie to watercooling so this will inevitably be the last mod that attempt with this project.

My initial ideas for watercooling are; mounting a 360 rad in the front of the case (removing both hd cages and drives) use a magicool pump/res 700, and 12mm id tubing however i am still unsure about which cpu block to get as options are indeed dauntingly abundant. i am completely open to suggestion so please feel free to provide advice, it would be greatly appreciated.

Ill post some pics of my current progress as soon as i can figure out how to do so...


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## DrOctopus (Aug 5, 2009)




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## DrOctopus (Aug 5, 2009)

Initially, i was a bit skeptical about how good of a paint job these local guys would do for 60kuai (10usd) (their asking price) but it turned out quite well...ON THE OUTSIDE, the inside is riddled with drips and patches however i think i will use some sound dampening material at the base...so it shouldnt be an issue


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## Th0rn0 (Aug 5, 2009)

Nice price on the paint, Looks awesome!

Just recently watercooled my Tempest, check the link in my sig.

As for waterblock, I recommend a EK Supreme w/ Universal mount (future proof). Awesome block. I'm happy with it.

Also, mounting a 360 rad at the front? What about drives? Use the mounting holes on the top with a 240mm rad.


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## DrOctopus (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks bro! Yeah the EK supreme looks pretty damn sweet, ill have to check out some prices. As for the rad ive already got a 360l , i saw it on this chinese website for like 15bucks brand new, had to get it. I already have a usb dvd drive so im not really concerned about it and ill prolly get an acrylic hd mounting thing and put it just in front of the psu.


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## DrOctopus (Aug 6, 2009)

Updates: New stuff arrived and more mods....Excuse the poor photography :S




Redid the front panel connectors...ill explain all the switches later but the big one is for powar! 




I found a scrap peice of acrylic, sanded it down and drilled a hole for the main toggle switch. I plan to have a cathode behind there to light up the acrylic bit when you turn it on..I glued it (as you can probably already see) using a cheap glue gun....




fans!












Idk about the brand they're chinese called "thermals" or sumthin cost like 5 bucks a pop. 14db 45cfm - The shitty rad i bought for $15, the mounting holes are different sizes lol so i have to change it, and its dented and looks like poop. 




Sunbeam Sleevin' tools 












I ran out of sleevin after the 8pin and some of the 24pin. gotta go get some moarr. I think it looks ok thus far though, i figured id learn how to sleeve on the 8 pin as even if i screw it up no one will see it! 








holes for cable management..


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## Th0rn0 (Aug 6, 2009)

oooooh... Very nice I/O panel there. I was tempted to get a rocker switch myself. If its for power make sure its a momentary switch and not a constant On/Off


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## Th0rn0 (Aug 6, 2009)

And thats what you get for buying cheap second rate Rads 

Get a Swiftech MP220. Fits on the top under the 140mm fans.


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## DrOctopus (Aug 6, 2009)

Thanks! Yeah, i checked the switch before i bought it. I kno, i kno i should have just bought a mp220 in the first place but it looked so good on the site lol


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## Th0rn0 (Aug 6, 2009)

30c idle. Never goes over 40c even when been tested on OCCT linpack (extreme temp check). It really throttles your CPU.  So the temps aint bad at all. Bare in mind though, I'm on a e8200 Duall core @ 3.3ghz (1.3v). Your temp wont go below ambient temp and its about 25c in my room.


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## DrOctopus (Aug 11, 2009)

Few more pics of mounted rad (kept the 360), fans installed and other minor mods....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	























Attached a 10cm cathode and cathode box to the plastic top of the tempest, also connected to a rocker for when i get sick of them..








I also swapped out the blue leds in the front panel for white ones, and thought i should mention that i dremel'd the plastic fan holes on the top where the mesh is, so that they're round and dont have a giant cross in the middle.


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## Th0rn0 (Aug 11, 2009)

Very nice. What about optical drives and HDs?


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## Cuzza (Aug 11, 2009)

I like the standard rocker switches a lot. But that missile switch is a bit cheesy. Nice work, keep it up


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## DrOctopus (Aug 12, 2009)

Th0rn0 said:


> Very nice. What about optical drives and HDs?



Thanks, Ive a got a usb dvd drive and i plan to mount the hd cage just after psu.


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