Our clinic used to perform an acid rinse on our K machines by putting 2 wands in a jug of vinegar. We since switched to using the 2.5 gallon jugs, connecting the bicarb wand to the jug and the acid wand into the central acid concentrate. Since changing to this procedure, the machines will begin to spit fluid out of the vent tube when the rinse cycle is complete. Some will take several minutes others will do it almost immediately upon completion of the cycle.

I'm sure it has something to do with the pressure in the acid loop. Does anyone think I should install the optional acetate check valve (white valve similar to uf check valves) in the machines, and would this solve the problem? Any other ideas?

FYI, I used a gauge to check the acid loop pressure at several stations and it ranged from 5psi to 10psi. I can't turn the flow down any further without pulling air into the machines at the end with the lowest pressure.

Thanks for any help you can give.


Dialysis: When you can't pee, come see me.

That loop pressure is high. I think fresenius recommends to install a check valve if the pressure is over 3psi. So I am surprised that you aren't having high condo problems. Anyway you can install an extra valve, which means an one more to replace at every PM, or you can do what we do. We drilled a hole in each vinegar jug and glued a acid connector to it. So when you acid rinse you hook both connectors to the jug with no acid loop pressure to deal with. If you are having high condos you probably need to install inline pressure regulators on your loop.

thanks for the help breakparnow. I may go with the latter suggestion, as soon as I can find my drill or buy a new one.

We use the container the vinegar comes in. We take the lid and poke a hole in it. Then insert a Y-connector Fresenius#674650 thru the lid and connect a piece of tubing on the part of the Y sticking into the container (long enough to reach the bottom of the container). Then we use to short pieces of tubing on the other two Y connections. We use the clear soft tubing used in the machine. We stick the ends of the wands into the tubing until the tubing is just past the o-ring. When the container is empty, we remove the lid and move it to the new container. No need to transfer vinegar from container to vinegar jug. We find this to work great for us.

You could always do what one of my clinics does. It is not the most elegant solution but it works. They pour the vinegar into a urinal and stick both of the wands into that.

You must have some really long lines to reach that far!

By inserting the acid connector into the central concentrate system, wouldn't this be going against manufacturer's recommendations?