# Everyone that has a Northern Tool Northstar tow behind sprayer.



## Rick S (Feb 21, 2021)

Separate post. Everyone that has a Northern Tool Northstar tow behind sprayer:
* Can you adjust the pressure to any psi you want to (within its limits)?
* Does the gauge go back to that pressure when you turn the switch off and back on?
* What gallon sprayer do you have?
Thanks. I'm having problems with my new 41 gallon.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

You rang...

Yes, put a agitator line on to accomplish this
Yes only if the valve position haven't been changed in any way.
21 gallon here


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## wiread (Aug 27, 2019)

I've never been able to really read it lol. I've tried adjusting it but it doesn't seem to mke a lot of difference. I put out about the volume I think I should in certain areas in my yard, but some sprays have been more effective than others too. I have a 31gal.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

wiread said:


> I've never been able to really read it lol. I've tried adjusting it but it doesn't seem to mke a lot of difference. I put out about the volume I think I should in certain areas in my yard, but some sprays have been more effective than others too. I have a 31gal.


You would want to KNOW the amount you put out. Running expensive and powerful herbicides will do a number on your lawn. Next time I pull it out I will post some pics and videos of this.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

This is a good video on where to startstart
https://youtu.be/-U3yd0kxRR0


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## TNguy (Nov 23, 2020)

1. Yes
2. Yes, give or take a couple pounds
3. 31 Gallon

In my experience the pressure gauges on these sprayers are cheap junk. Mine stopped working within 6 months and I had to call to get a replacement gauge under warranty. Once the replacement gauge stops working I will need to look for a higher quality one.


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## Ngilbe36 (Jul 23, 2020)

Rick S said:


> Separate post. Everyone that has a Northern Tool Northstar tow behind sprayer:
> * Can you adjust the pressure to any psi you want to (within its limits)?
> * Does the gauge go back to that pressure when you turn the switch off and back on?
> * What gallon sprayer do you have?
> Thanks. I'm having problems with my new 41 gallon.


Yes
Close enough
31


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## wiread (Aug 27, 2019)

CenlaLowell said:


> You would want to KNOW the amount you put out. Running expensive and powerful herbicides will do a number on your lawn. Next time I pull it out I will post some pics and videos of this.


I do have a pretty good handle on it. I have my area broken up into roughly a 20K, 25K, 29K and another 25K immediately around the house sections that I do. I get the needle bouncing between the 20 and 30PSI and figure it's 25 enough for me. I put in my herbicide for the area i'm doing and water and put some rubber pipe insulation around my handles on my stander mower to help limit my speed to try and keep it at 3mph and I always finish within a pass or 2 of when I figure I should with the amount of herbicide i've mixed. It worked pretty well the first couple times I used it, so now I don't really use the same areas, I just mix it up and go until i'm out, then mix again.

But i can't set my gauge and get an exact PSI, i'm taking an average of the blurry needle.


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## kstall (May 10, 2019)

I have the 31 gallon and my pressure gauge has never worked right. It stays at 25 no matter which way I go with the valve.


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## Rick S (Feb 21, 2021)

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I talked with 2 different Northern Tool tech support people this week.

One was saying he suspects that my Lawn Tractor can't supply enough current. A lawn tractor or zero turn uses a magneto to produce electricity. A Magneto is only designed to produce enough power to recharge that battery and, maybe, power headlights. I understand how magnetos work. He said these are really designed to be towed behind an ATV. He said ATV's have alternators - just like a car. They can supply a lot more accessory power.

So I tried it on my car battery, with it running. No change. I connected it between my JD X300R and my car many times = no difference. So, that is not the situation in my case.

After a long conversation with the second tech: He said these are inexpensive pumps and pressure regulators. They are not designed to be pinpoint adjustable. He said they are designed to produce about 20-40psi. And as long as it's producing pressure anywhere in that range - that's as good as I'm going to get. So, according to the tech: We don't get accurate, reliable pressure.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I own a 31 gallon NorthStar sprayer.

I can adjust pressure from 0 to 70 psi, and spray at around 40 psi.

The pressure gauge will return to 40 psi and then the pump, which is an on-demand pump, will shut off, as designed.

I believe you are getting air leaks. Do you have air bubbles in any of your hoses? You have to get the system both watertight and airtight. Check every hose clamp, shutoff valve, nozzle, wand, and pump, etc., connection, and be sure you tighten all hose clamps.

Your unit comes with a warranty. Northern Tool services what they sell. They will repair or replace defective parts. You can take it in for service. You paid for your warranty - use it.

I would focus on how the unit actually sprays. Focusing on a pressure gauge that fluctuates as the unit's pressure rises and falls is not necessary. If the unit is airtight, and the pump suctions/sprays, it works.

I hardly ever look at my gauge - I only watch how the sprayer sprays….

The grass, weeds and chemicals get sprayed; that is what matters….

Good luck with your sprayer. Once they are dialed in, they work great.


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## Automate (Aug 14, 2020)

@Rick S Hopefully my experience with a NorthStar 31 Gal sprayer will help.

The 31 Gal NorthStar only has two spray nozzle unlike your 41 Gal model. (I have not converted them to T-Jets)

I had lots of problems with the original pressure regulator. I would spend a lot of time adjusting the pressure and calibrating the flow rate and then after turning the pump off and then back on would end up with a completely different pressure.

I talked with tech support and after telling me they had not heard of anyone else with a regulator problem they sent me a new pressure regulator and pressure gauge.

After replacing only the pressure regulator I noticed an immediate difference. I could now adjust the regulator to the pressure I wanted, then turn off the pump and back on, and it would come back to the same pressure.

I did find I have to re-adjust the regulator if I switched from having two nozzles spraying to only having one nozzle spraying if I want to maintain the same pressure.

So maybe they had a bad batch of pressure regulators and you should try a 3rd one.

There are a lot of people on the forum that have custom built their own battery operated push sprayer. You could also ask one of them what pressure regulator they are using and see if that regulator works better with your NorthStar.

Let us know what happens.


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## Deltahedge (Apr 1, 2020)

I have the 41 gal Northstar sprayer.

I had issues with my first regulator. No matter which way I turned the knob, the pressure didn't change. I called them and they sent me a new regulator, and it worked better. The dial vibrates as a blur between 30-40 psi, so I kind of assume it's 35. I intentionally run it lower than it's maximum output so that it also constantly has enough over-pressure to run the agitator.

It seems to run the same pressure every time I use it. With weeks and months in-between uses sometimes.


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