Renal failure therapy system having electrically floating fluid pathway

A renal failure therapy system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer, the dialysis fluid circuit including a fresh dialysis fluid line and a used dialysis fluid line;
• a first electrical component operable with the fresh dialysis fluid line;
• a first electrical bypass shunting current away from the first electrical component;
• a second electrical component operable with the used dialysis fluid line;
• and
• a second electrical bypass shunting current away from the second electrical component.

A renal failure therapy system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• an electrically floating fluid pathway comprising at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit, wherein the only electrical path to ground is via used dialysis fluid traveling through the renal failure therapy system to earth ground, and wherein at least one electrical component in the at a least portion of the dialysis fluid circuit of the electrically floating fluid pathway is electrically insulated;
• and
• a testing structure configured to test whether the electrically floating fluid pathway has been compromised via an undesired electrical connection to ground, wherein the testing structure optionally includes a generator selected from the group consisting of a current generator and a voltage generator, and a meter selected from the group consisting of a voltage meter and a current meter,
• wherein the system is programmed to use (i) the generator to set a limit and (ii) the meter to determine if the limit has been reached,
• wherein the testing structure includes an electrical path from at least one bypass bypassing the at least one electrical component to ground, and
• wherein the meter is in the electrical path.

A renal failure therapy system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• and
• an electrically floating fluid pathway comprising at least a portion of the blood circuit and at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit, wherein the only electrical path to ground is via used dialysis fluid traveling through the renal failure therapy system to earth ground, and wherein at least one electrical component in the at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit of the electrically floating fluid pathway includes an electrical bypass having (i) a small passage formed between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet to the at least one electrical component, or (ii) a conductor located between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the at least one electrical component.

A renal failure therapy system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• and
• an electrically floating fluid pathway comprising at least a portion of the blood circuit and at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit, wherein the only electrical path to ground is via used dialysis fluid traveling through the renal failure therapy system to earth ground,
• wherein at least one electrical component in the at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit of the electrically floating fluid pathway is electrically bypassed, and
• wherein the at least one electrical component includes a conductivity sensor having a conductivity probe that contacts dialysis fluid flowing through the at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit.

A renal failure therapy system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• and
• an electrically floating fluid pathway comprising at least a portion of the blood circuit and at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit, wherein the only electrical path to ground is via used dialysis fluid traveling through the renal failure therapy system to earth ground,
• wherein at least one electrical component in the at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit of the electrically floating fluid pathway is electrically bypassed, and
• wherein the electrically floating fluid pathway includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an arterial line, a venous line, arterial and venous needles, a fresh dialysis fluid line, a fresh dialysis fluid tube, liquid concentrate lines, concentrate sources if liquid concentrate sources are used, a water line, a water source if the water is non-deionized, a used dialysis fluid tube, and a used dialysis fluid line.

A renal failure therapy system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer;
• and
• an electrically floating fluid pathway comprising at least a portion of the blood circuit and at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit, wherein the only electrical path to ground is via used dialysis fluid traveling through the renal failure therapy system to earth ground,
• wherein at least one electrical component in the at least a portion of the dialysis fluid circuit of the electrically floating fluid pathway is electrically bypassed, and
• wherein the electrically floating fluid pathway is connected to an external drain line, which leads to an electrically grounded drain.