All measured values determined with this alcohol tester are always only a guide value and are not legally binding.
ACE Instruments recommends that you test the alcohol tester at least once a week, regardless of whether you have drunk alcohol or not. The device should also be calibrated regularly to maintain measurement accuracy.
Why is a calibration necessary?
Calibration is not mandatory, but the accuracy of the integrated sensor decreases continuously without calibration and the warranty expires if the calibration intervals are not observed.
Any alcohol tester purchased from ACE Instruments can also be calibrated by ACE Instruments. Of course, we also calibrate instruments that have been purchased elsewhere, as long as these instruments are identical in construction to those sold by ACE Instruments. You can see the due date of the next calibration on the calibration sticker on your alcohol tester. If the sticker is missing, the calibration should be done 6 months after the purchase date: e.g. purchase date: 13.05. = next calibration on 13.11. and afterwards on 13.05. of the following year. You can send the instrument for calibration to the service address given under www.alkomat.net . There you will also find further information on calibration, the prices for the calibration service and the calibration return form.
Which factors influence the measurement accuracy?
- The more often the alcohol tester is used, the more the zero point shifts.
- At high alcohol concentrations, the zero point shifts more strongly.
- The sensitivity of the sensor also decreases in the case of devices that are used little or not at all.
- Amount of alcohol
- Period of alcohol consumption
- sex
- age
- weight
- body size
- drinking habit
- Health condition
- Vitality of the liver
- lung size
- dietary intake during alcohol consumption
- Influence of drugs
Further influencing factors
Some substances contained in tobacco such as methanol and acetaldehyde, in sweets substances such as isoprene or the 2-butanol often present in flavours and perfumes can influence the measurement result. Some other residual gases (caused by cigarette smoke, mint, etc.) in the mouth can also affect the sensor and thus the test result. If you have eaten or drunk something before a breath test, we recommend rinsing your mouth with water or waiting at least 15 minutes before the test to get a correct result.
Important notes on test procedure and self-assessment
After the last sip of alcohol, you should wait at least 15 minutes, as there may still be residual alcohol in the oral cavity that influences the measurement result. Smoking should also be avoided before a test, as cigarette smoke damages the sensor. A new mouthpiece should be used for each test - not only for hygienic reasons, but also because an already used mouthpiece can influence the next measurement result. There could be residual alcohol in the mouthpiece, which will influence the new test result if the same mouthpiece is used again (e.g. if a person is sober, this could indicate alcoholisation).
If the display shows "FLO" or "Flow", the breath sample delivered was not sufficient or was terminated too early. Blow your breath constantly for about 4 seconds and preferably as if you were whistling without sound. The breath test is finished as soon as you hear a double beep.
If the same person performs 2 tests in a row, they should wait at least 3 minutes between the two tests, as too short a waiting time can result in different readings being displayed. After a test, the air exhaled from the lungs is no longer enriched with the same alcohol content as in the previous test. Therefore, an immediate second test will show a lower reading.
Why the perceived alcoholisation and the measurement result often doesn`t or cannot not coincide
In an alcohol test, there are many different factors that influence the level of the measured value. In addition to sex, age, height and weight, these include the percentage of body fat and the percentage of body fluid.
In addition, the general physical and mental condition as well as the respective daily condition must also be taken into account. In addition, the type of meals before the test (type of content and level of stomach) and the intake of medication can influence the measured value.
Other influencing factors naturally include the type of drink (percentage of alcohol content in the drink as well as its carbonic acid and sugar content), drinking speed and the individual length of time dependent on the test person with regard to alcohol build-up and breakdown in the body.
Some people quickly have an increased alcohol content in their blood, others take longer to detect alcoholisation. About 40-50% of the alcohol consumed is in the body within 15 minutes, after 30 minutes it is 65% and after 70 minutes at the latest the previously consumed alcohol is 100% absorbed in the body. However, it should also be noted that some people - partly genetically determined - quickly reduce the alcohol content in the blood again, whereas others still have an increased alcohol content in the blood even after a longer period.
