North Star NST30ED - User Manual

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7366546 (Rev. B 1/24/18)

Systems tested and certified by the Water Quality

Association against CSA B483.1.

Systems tested and certified by NSF International

against NSF/ANSI Standard 44

for hardness reduction and efficiency,

and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 372.

Installation and Operation Manual

If you have any questions or concerns when

installing, operating or maintaining your water

softener, call our toll free number:

1-800-972-0135

or visit www.northstarwater.com

When you call, please be prepared to provide

the model and serial number of your product,

found on the rating decal, located on the back

of the controller top cover.

Manufactured and warranted by

North Star Water Treatment Systems

1890 Woodlane Drive

Woodbury, MN 55125

Designed, Engineered &

Assembled in the U.S.A.

How to install, operate

and maintain your Demand

Controlled Water Softener

Models NST30ED

NST45ED1

NST70ED1

Main Page

Questions and Answers

S
stanleymarcAug 1, 2025
How to fix no soft water from North Star NST30ED Water Dispenser?
- D
  Dr. Logan Bentley MDAug 1, 2025
  If your North Star Water Dispenser isn't producing soft water, several issues could be the cause. First, ensure the salt storage tank has enough salt; if empty, add salt and initiate a “Recharge Now”. Another possibility is a salt bridge, a hardened layer of salt; break this bridge and then start a “Recharge Now”. Also, check for power loss by verifying the power supply is correctly plugged in and the circuit breaker hasn't tripped. Ensure the manual bypass valve(s) are in the service position. Lastly, inspect the nozzle and venturi assembly for any blockages or damage, cleaning or repairing as necessary. Check that the valve drain hose isn't kinked, sharply bent, or raised too high.
B
benjaminmyersAug 15, 2025
Why is my North Star Water Dispenser sometimes dispensing hard water?
- K
  Kevin LoveAug 15, 2025
  If you're sometimes getting hard water from your North Star Water Dispenser, it could be due to several reasons. One possibility is that hard water is being bypassed during recharge because the present time or recharge time settings are incorrect; check and correct these settings. Another reason could be that the hardness number setting is too low; check the current hardness setting and increase it if needed. Avoid using hot water during recharges, as the water heater refills with hard water. Also, there might be an increase in the actual hardness of your water supply; have a sample tested and adjust the 'Hardness' setting accordingly. Finally, check the turbine to ensure it's turning freely.

Summary

Inspect Shipment

WATER SOFTENER WARRANTY

One Year Full Warranty

Covers defects in materials and workmanship for one year.

Limited Warranties

Covers salt tank, mineral tank, and control board for longer periods.

General Provisions

Exclusions and limitations of the warranty.

Specifications & Performance Claims

Dimensions

Before You Start

Installation Requirements

Location Requirements

Guidelines for choosing the best location for the water softener.

Plumbing Codes

Requirements for plumbing installation and adherence to codes.

Air Gap Requirements

Specifies the necessary air gap for drain connections.

Proper Order of Water Treatment Equipment Installation

Illustrates the correct sequence for installing water treatment devices.

Typical Installation Illustrations

Installation Instructions

Turn Off Water Supply

Steps to safely shut off water and power before installation.

Install Bypass Valve and Adapters

Instructions for installing the bypass valve and adaptors.

Move Unit Into Installation Position

Guidance on placing the water softener in its final location.

Installation Instructions

Complete Inlet and Outlet Plumbing

Detailed steps for connecting inlet and outlet plumbing.

Cold Water Pipe Grounding

Instructions for maintaining electrical ground continuity.

Install Valve Drain Hose

How to connect and route the drain hose for regeneration water.

Connect Rigid Valve Drain Tube

Adapter instructions for rigid drain tube connections.

Installation Instructions

Install Salt Tank Overflow Fittings

Connecting the overflow hose for the salt storage tank.

Connect Brine Tubing

How to connect the brine tubing from the brine tank to the valve.

Test for Leaks

Procedures for checking the system for leaks after installation.

Installation Instructions

Add Water and Salt to Tank

Instructions for adding water and salt to the brine tank.

Plug In Power Supply

Connecting the power supply to the unit.

Program the Controller

Directs user to programming steps on subsequent pages.

Sanitize Water Softener

Steps for sanitizing the water softener after installation.

Restart Water Heater

Instructions for restarting the water heater after softener installation.

Programming the Electronic Controller

Controller Settings Required

Overview of initial controller setup after power-up.

Set Present Time of Day

How to set the current time on the electronic controller.

Set Water Hardness Number

How to input the water hardness level for optimal performance.

Programming the Electronic Controller

Set Regeneration Starting Time

Setting the preferred time for automatic regeneration cycles.

Normal Operation

Describes what the display shows during normal operation.

Program Memory

How the controller retains settings during power interruptions.

Optional Recharge Controls

Explains manual regeneration options (NOW, TONIGHT).

Vacation Note

Information on how the softener behaves during extended absences.

Controller Features; Options

Optional Setting: Salt Efficiency

How to enable the salt efficiency feature for optimized salt usage.

Wiring Schematic

Routine Maintenance

Adding Salt

Guidance on checking and adding salt to the brine tank.

Breaking a Salt Bridge

How to identify and resolve salt bridging in the brine tank.

Cleaning the Nozzle & Venturi

Instructions for cleaning the nozzle and venturi assembly.

Troubleshooting Guide

Initial Troubleshooting Checks

A list of initial checks to perform when troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting

Automatic Electronic Diagnostics

Explains the self-diagnostic function and error codes.

Remove an Error Code

Steps to clear error codes from the controller display.

Manually Initiated Electronic Diagnostics

Guide to using manual diagnostics for system checks.

Troubleshooting

Resetting to Factory Defaults

How to reset the electronic controller to factory settings.

Manual Advance Regeneration Check

Procedure to manually step through regeneration cycles.

Softener Exploded View (All Models)

Softener Parts List (All Models)

Valve Exploded View (NST30 ED)

Valve Parts List (NST30 ED)

Valve Exploded View (NST45 ED1 & NST70 ED1)

Valve Parts List (NST45 ED1 & NST70 ED1)

Summary

Inspect Shipment

WATER SOFTENER WARRANTY

One Year Full Warranty

Covers defects in materials and workmanship for one year.

Limited Warranties

Covers salt tank, mineral tank, and control board for longer periods.

General Provisions

Exclusions and limitations of the warranty.

Specifications & Performance Claims

Dimensions

Before You Start

Installation Requirements

Location Requirements

Guidelines for choosing the best location for the water softener.

Plumbing Codes

Requirements for plumbing installation and adherence to codes.

Air Gap Requirements

Specifies the necessary air gap for drain connections.

Proper Order of Water Treatment Equipment Installation

Illustrates the correct sequence for installing water treatment devices.

Typical Installation Illustrations

Installation Instructions

Turn Off Water Supply

Steps to safely shut off water and power before installation.

Install Bypass Valve and Adapters

Instructions for installing the bypass valve and adaptors.

Move Unit Into Installation Position

Guidance on placing the water softener in its final location.

Installation Instructions

Complete Inlet and Outlet Plumbing

Detailed steps for connecting inlet and outlet plumbing.

Cold Water Pipe Grounding

Instructions for maintaining electrical ground continuity.

Install Valve Drain Hose

How to connect and route the drain hose for regeneration water.

Connect Rigid Valve Drain Tube

Adapter instructions for rigid drain tube connections.

Installation Instructions

Install Salt Tank Overflow Fittings

Connecting the overflow hose for the salt storage tank.

Connect Brine Tubing

How to connect the brine tubing from the brine tank to the valve.

Test for Leaks

Procedures for checking the system for leaks after installation.

Installation Instructions

Add Water and Salt to Tank

Instructions for adding water and salt to the brine tank.

Plug In Power Supply

Connecting the power supply to the unit.

Program the Controller

Directs user to programming steps on subsequent pages.

Sanitize Water Softener

Steps for sanitizing the water softener after installation.

Restart Water Heater

Instructions for restarting the water heater after softener installation.

Programming the Electronic Controller

Controller Settings Required

Overview of initial controller setup after power-up.

Set Present Time of Day

How to set the current time on the electronic controller.

Set Water Hardness Number

How to input the water hardness level for optimal performance.

Programming the Electronic Controller

Set Regeneration Starting Time

Setting the preferred time for automatic regeneration cycles.

Normal Operation

Describes what the display shows during normal operation.

Program Memory

How the controller retains settings during power interruptions.

Optional Recharge Controls

Explains manual regeneration options (NOW, TONIGHT).

Vacation Note

Information on how the softener behaves during extended absences.

Controller Features; Options

Optional Setting: Salt Efficiency

How to enable the salt efficiency feature for optimized salt usage.

Wiring Schematic

Routine Maintenance

Adding Salt

Guidance on checking and adding salt to the brine tank.

Breaking a Salt Bridge

How to identify and resolve salt bridging in the brine tank.

Cleaning the Nozzle & Venturi

Instructions for cleaning the nozzle and venturi assembly.

Troubleshooting Guide

Initial Troubleshooting Checks

A list of initial checks to perform when troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting

Automatic Electronic Diagnostics

Explains the self-diagnostic function and error codes.

Remove an Error Code

Steps to clear error codes from the controller display.

Manually Initiated Electronic Diagnostics

Guide to using manual diagnostics for system checks.

Troubleshooting

Resetting to Factory Defaults

How to reset the electronic controller to factory settings.

Manual Advance Regeneration Check

Procedure to manually step through regeneration cycles.

Softener Exploded View (All Models)

Softener Parts List (All Models)

Valve Exploded View (NST30 ED)

Valve Parts List (NST30 ED)

Valve Exploded View (NST45 ED1 & NST70 ED1)

Valve Parts List (NST45 ED1 & NST70 ED1)

North Star NST30ED Specifications

General

Cooling Method	Compressor Cooling
Capacity	5 Gallon
Material	Stainless Steel
Color	White
Cold Water Temperature	5°C - 10°C
Power Consumption	500W
Dimensions	330mm x 330mm x 980mm
Weight	15kg